We are building systems today--and using computers to control them—which have the potential for large-scale destruction of life and environment. More than ever, software engineers and system developers, as well as their managers, must understand the issues and develop the skills needed to anticipate and prevent accidents before they occur. Professionals should not require a catastrophe to happen before taking action.

Addressing this need in her long-awaited book, Nancy Levenson examines what is currently known about building safe electromagnetic systems. She also looks at past accidents to see what practical lessons can be applied to new computer-controlled systems.