System safety is the system design parameter that

• A. minimizes mishaps that cause death or injury, or threaten the survival or operation of the system
• B. minimizes cost
• C. maximizes speed
• D. ensures regulatory compliance

Answer: (A)

System safety focuses on reducing risk through design, aiming to prevent hazards that could cause death or injury or threaten the system’s survival or ability to operate. The best choice captures this purpose by stating that the goal is to minimize mishaps that endanger people or the system itself, which is the core driver behind safety-focused engineering, hazard analysis, and protective measures like redundancy and fail-safe designs.

Minimizing cost is an economic objective that can influence trade-offs but does not define safety itself. Maximizing speed can increase risk if not carefully controlled. Ensuring regulatory compliance is important and supports safety, but safety as a design parameter is about reducing risk first and foremost, not merely meeting regulations.