> The rule is any system that risks serious harm to a person in the course of normal operation should be fail-safe, not fail-dangerous. I used to work in a Che

> The rule is any system that risks serious harm to a person in the course of normal operation should be fail-safe, not fail-dangerous. I used to work in a Chemistry lab, one in which one of my lab-mates once had a explosion while he heated something which wasn't what he thought it was. I was the guy who phoned for the ambulance (and got the fire service included for free, but maybe that makes sense if you work in a lab). I went to the front entrance to meet the firefighters as instructed, after identifying myself they asked me "do you have anything dangerous in your lab?" I was probably still high on the adrenaline (there had been a fairly loud bang and the glass side windows of my colleague's fume hood were blown out) but I recall being unable to answer that question. I think I eventually said "Yes, of course we have dangerous stuff, you have anything particular in mind?" Context really does matter!