International cooperation on reliability and accident data collection and processing, exchange of experience on actual uses of data and reliability engineering techniques is a major step in realising safer and more efficient industrial systems. This book provides an updated presentation of the activities in this field on a worldwide basis.

Reliability data collection and its use in risk and availability assessment is a subject of increasing importance. The founders of EuReDatA, and in particular, Arne Ullman, the originator 'and first Chairman of the Association, recognised the need for a body capable of acting as a catalyst and providing a unified approach to this subject. It is therefore a prevailing objective of the European Reliability Databank Association to initiate and support contact between experts, companies and institutions active in reliability engineering and research. Although the first and principle interest of EuReDatA is reliability data and data banks, the Association is aware that these are tools that are used with others to establish and maintain reliability and safety. It is with this objective that EuReDatA regularly holds conferences and seminars covering a range of reliability topics. C.A. Campbell H.J. Wingender EuReDatA Chairman Organiser, Editor Contents CHAPTER 1: OVERVIEWS Data Situation and the Quality of Risk Assessment (FRG) A. Birkhofer, K. Koberlein (GRS) ..****....*.*...**.....*.*.. 3 Reliability Engineering in Europe (CEC) G. Volta (JRC-Ispra) *...****... *...........***.*....*.**..**. 16 1984: A Year of Industrial Catastrophies.