Author Guidelines

This page explains how to prepare and submit manuscripts to Safety.Science.

The journal welcomes clear, relevant, and well-structured contributions that advance understanding of Integrated / Integral Safety across disciplines and practice domains.

You do not need to follow a rigid format. Clarity, structure, and relevance are more important than strict formalism.

1. Before You Start

Safety.Science is designed as an accessible and interdisciplinary journal.

We especially encourage contributions that:

  • connect technical, human, organisational, digital, or environmental perspectives;
  • translate experience into insight;
  • bridge research and practice;
  • communicate ideas clearly across disciplines.

If you are unsure whether your idea fits, you are welcome to send a short outline to editor@safety.science for informal feedback.

2. Manuscript Structure

A typical manuscript includes:

  • Title
  • Author names and affiliations
  • ORCID identifiers (recommended)
  • Abstract (150–250 words)
  • Keywords (4–8)
  • Main text, divided into clear sections
  • Acknowledgements (optional)
  • Funding and conflict of interest statements
  • References
  • Appendices (optional)

The exact structure may vary depending on the type of contribution.

3. Article Types and Length

Safety.Science accepts the following contribution types:

  • Research Articles: normally 4,000–9,000 words
  • Conceptual Papers: normally 3,000–8,000 words
  • Short Papers: normally 1,500–4,000 words
  • Case Reflections: normally 2,000–6,000 words
  • Methods & Tools papers: normally 2,000–6,000 words
  • Work-in-Progress & Open Review Papers: normally 1,500–5,000 words

These lengths are indicative. Shorter or longer submissions may be considered where justified by the topic, method, or contribution type.

Clarity, relevance, and contribution to safety understanding are more important than formal length.

4. Formatting and Templates

Manuscripts can be prepared using:

  • Word (.docx) – using the journal’s template;
  • LaTeX – using the journal’s LaTeX template.

Templates are recommended but not strictly required for initial submission.

5. Referencing Style

Safety.Science uses a numeric referencing style (NEDION Numeric).

In-text citations:

[1], [2], [3–5]

References are listed in order of appearance.

Examples:

  • Journal article: Author, A. Title. Journal Name. Year;Volume(Issue):pages.
  • Book: Author, B. Title of Book. Publisher; Year.
  • Report: Author, C. Title. Organisation; Year.

6. Figures and Tables

  • Number figures and tables sequentially;
  • include clear captions;
  • indicate sources where relevant;
  • use formats such as PNG, JPG, SVG, or PDF;
  • ensure readability in both screen and print formats.

7. Language

Manuscripts may be submitted in:

  • English, or
  • Dutch (with an English abstract).

For publication and indexing, final accepted manuscripts must be available in English.

8. Writing Style

Please aim for:

  • clear and concise writing;
  • logical structure;
  • accessible language across disciplines;
  • respectful and inclusive tone.

Avoid unnecessary jargon. Define specialised terms when needed.

9. Submission Process

All new submissions to Safety.Science should be made through the journal’s Open Journal Systems (OJS) submission platform.

Authors should submit through OJS by creating an account, selecting the appropriate journal section, uploading the manuscript files, entering metadata, adding contributors, and confirming the submission checklist.

Submit manuscript

Please include:

  • manuscript file, preferably DOCX, PDF, or another suitable format;
  • title and abstract;
  • keywords;
  • author names, affiliations, and contact details;
  • ORCID IDs, if available;
  • references;
  • figures, tables, data, or supplementary files where applicable;
  • funding, conflict of interest, ethics, data availability, or permission statements where applicable.

Informal inquiries may still be sent to editor@safety.science, especially if authors are unsure whether a proposed contribution fits the journal.
However, formal submissions should be made through OJS.

10. Review and Publication

All submissions are screened for relevance, clarity, and fit with the journal.

Depending on the contribution, manuscripts may:

  • be reviewed by the editor;
  • be sent for external peer review;
  • be returned with suggestions for improvement.

The process is designed to be constructive, transparent, and proportionate, especially for interdisciplinary and practice-based work.

11. Ethics and Responsibilities

Authors are responsible for ensuring that submissions:

  • are original;
  • properly reference sources;
  • respect confidentiality and third-party rights;
  • comply with applicable regulations.

By submitting, authors agree to:

Start Your Submission

Start your submission through the Safety.Science OJS platform:

Submit through OJS

We aim to respond quickly and provide constructive feedback.

You are warmly invited to contribute.