Over the past decade evidence-based software engineering (EBSE) has emerged to offer an adaptation of the methods of evidence based medicine for the needs of software engineering. Whilst potentially complementary to established practices, evidence to date of successful translation of the approach from the academic environment to industrial practice is scarce. With an emphasis on structured arguments, rigorous analysis and bodies of evidence software safety is one engineering sub-discipline apparently well placed to benefit from adopting the approach. This paper as sesses whether EBSE has or can, in practice, make a contribution to engineering safer software.