Exegesis on Security, Insecurity, and Antisecurity Über Sicherheit, Unsicherheit und Antisicherheit – Eine Exegese. Definitionen, Beziehungen und Beeinflussungsmöglichkeiten; eine Analyse, nicht ausschliesslich für Industrie-Chemiker

Abstract

The significance of the fundamental notion security is discussed in a context beyond chemistry. After attempting to give a definition of security, danger is recognized as insecurity. The parameters that characterize danger are severity, probability of occurrence, and the quality of the probability information. Some classification methods of danger used outside chemistry are presented. Accidents are identified as antisecurity. The decomposition of an incident into the four necessary components: energy potential, a sensitising element, trigger, and resulting damage is presented. Three examples illustrate this decomposition. Avoiding incidents and protection from damage is based on the reduction or elimination of at least one of the four components.