An ontological and semantic foundation for safety science

This article proposes an ontological and semantic foundation for safety science, based on an etymological and etiological study of the concepts of risk and safety. The awareness regarding the concepts of safety and risk have both evolved in similar ways because of increasingly more demanding situations and events that impact society in an economic way, also linked to the value of human lives. From a purely negative view on risk and safety, this awareness has grown into a more systemic and even holistic perspective on these concepts. The proposed foundation is aligned with the semantics and concepts used in the ISO 31000 risk management standard. Based on this foundation, the article also advocates a theoretical model and a metaphor on how to look at safety and performance in any organization.