Sichersetzens

Sichersetzens is a formal approach in safety engineering and risk management that structures the substitution of components or procedures with pre-validated alternatives to preserve safety and continuity when primary elements fail or degrade. The term combines the German sicher meaning secure and setzen meaning to place, reflecting the practice of installing secure substitutes.

Origin and scope: The concept arose in late 20th-century European safety literature as a complement to redundancy. It emphasizes predefined substitution rules, interoperability, and traceable verification rather than merely duplicating parts.

Mechanism: A Sichersatz plan inventories potential substitutes, specifies eligibility criteria, activation conditions, and interlocks. Substitutes are tested, synchronized with current state, and accompanied by audit trails. Drills and periodic reassessments ensure readiness.

Applications: It has been discussed for manufacturing, process industries, aviation safety, data centers, and critical software systems, where rapid substitution can reduce downtime while maintaining regulatory compliance and safety margins.

Critique: Proponents acknowledge benefits in resilience, but critics warn of added complexity, coordination overhead, and hidden dependencies if substitutes are not truly equivalent. Successful use requires governance, documentation, and ongoing validation.

See also: redundancy, failover, business continuity planning, risk management.