It is common when talking about security to include meanings that, at a technical level, must be distinguished from each other. The confusion stems from the separation in English vocabulary between safety and security to refer to two different aspects of safety. However, this terminological differentiation does not exist in Spanish, which is why both terms are translated as “seguridad”. Today we would like to clarify the different aspects, seen from the spectrum of “safety” or from the prism of “security”.
Starting with Spanish, the word “seguridad” has several meanings. The Spanish Royal Academy dictionary defines the word as follows:
- Quality of safety.
- Service responsible for the safety of a person, a company, a building, etc.
- Bond or indemnity obligation in favour of somebody.
It also highlights the meaning of “seguridad activa” (active safety), which it defines as safety provided by a set of mechanisms, characteristics or features of a vehicle whose function is to avoid or prevent accidents.
The aforementioned term is directly related to the English term “safety”, which refers to the measures that must be taken to avoid accidents caused by external factors that cannot be avoided without the express intention of causing harm, i.e. by chance, misuse or negligent use. It is preventive security, seeking to safeguard the safety of people, infrastructure and the environment from fortuitous or accidental events.
This term clashes with the English term “security” which, although it is similar to the Spanish term “seguridad”, expressly alludes in its definition to the intention to cause harm. Thus, the term “security” refers to the measures adopted to avoid being harmed by the actions of third parties who intend to cause harm to others, not only physically but also psychologically.
At EEE we are prepared to deal with the whole safety system of means of transport. Our extensive experience of more than 40 years (especially in the railway sector) guarantees our modular electronic solutions, which, designed and manufactured according to our clients’ needs, have met the expectations of the various international companies that have already placed their trust in us.
