Includes bibliographical references and index.

Contents: Understanding reliability parameters and costs: The History of reliability and safety technology -- Understanding terms and jargon -- A Cost-effective approach to quality, reliability and safety -- Interpreting failure rates: Realistic failure rates and prediction confidence -- Interpreting data and demonstrating reliability -- Variable failure rates and probability plotting -- Predicting reliability and risk: Essential reliability theory -- Methods of modelling -- Quantifying the reliability models -- Risk assesment (QRA) -- Achieving reliability and maintainability: Design and assurance techniques -- Design review and test -- Field data collection and feedback -- Factors influencing down time -- Predicting and demonstrating repair times -- Quantified reliability centred maintenance -- Software quality/ reliability -- Legal, management and safety considerations: Project management -- Contract clauses and their pitfalls -- Product liability and safety legislation -- Major incident legislation -- Integrity of safety- related systems -- A case study: the datamet project -- Appendices.