ASP Fellowship II study guide
ASP Fellowship II · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
ASP Fellowship II is an advanced-level credential for safety professionals who already understand the basics of system safety and want to demonstrate competence at the level of a program lead or principal analyst. It suits engineers, safety managers, and assurance specialists working in aerospace, rail, defence, energy, medical devices, or any sector where hazards must be identified, assessed, and controlled across a system lifecycle. The ASP Fellowship II study guide has 9 sections and about 3,016 words.
01Fundamentals of Systems Safety and Risk Analysis
This domain tests whether you can separate a hazard from a risk, choose an analysis method that fits the life-cycle phase, and apply the system safety order of precedence. Questions often supply a short system description and ask for the first analysis, the risk level, or the control that should be preferred.
372 words, about 2 min02System Safety Program Planning and Management
This domain examines whether you can convert system safety from a document into a managed program: who owns risk acceptance, how hazards are tracked to closure, and how the plan is tailored to phases, contracts, and reviews. A credible System Safety Program Plan defines scope and objectives, organization and responsibilities, risk acceptance authority, the hazard tracking system, integration with systems engineering and test, review and audit points, subcontractor control, training, and metrics.
354 words, about 2 min03Hazard Identification, Analysis, and Tracking
This domain tests your ability to select a hazard analysis technique, interpret its output, and maintain a defensible hazard tracking record from identification through closure. PHA is early, qualitative, and broad; it screens hazards before detailed design.
336 words, about 2 min04Risk Assessment and Risk Acceptance
This domain examines how risk is characterized, compared with criteria, and formally accepted. Expect questions on matrix interpretation, residual risk, acceptance authority, and the difference between tolerable and zero risk.
338 words, about 2 min05Human Factors and Human Error Analysis
This domain tests whether you can explain human error using a model, identify performance-shaping factors, and choose design changes over blame. Questions often describe a task failure and ask for the error type or the most effective corrective action.
324 words, about 2 min06Software and Complex Electronic Systems Safety
This domain tests whether you can reason about systematic software faults, safety integrity frameworks, verification coverage, and the limits of certification claims in complex electronic systems. DO-178C assigns development assurance levels A through E based on failure-condition severity; DAL A applies to catastrophic failure conditions and demands the most rigorous objectives, including independence and structural coverage.
309 words, about 2 min07Safety in Design, Operations, and Maintenance
This domain examines whether you can carry the safety hierarchy into design and then preserve protective measures through operations, maintenance, and change. Questions often present a real task or a temporary configuration and ask for the controlling safeguard.
321 words, about 2 min08Safety Standards, Regulations, and Compliance
This domain tests whether you can identify the controlling requirement, distinguish legal duties from consensus guidance, and produce evidence of compliance. Expect questions that describe a facility or product and ask which standard or regulation applies.
353 words, about 2 min09Incident Investigation, Lessons Learned, and Continuous Improvement
This domain tests whether you can investigate an event without blame, separate immediate from systemic causes, and drive corrective actions that actually prevent recurrence. Preserve the scene and evidence, secure records, interview witnesses separately, and build a timeline.
309 words, about 2 min