This study deals with the application of knowledge engineering and a methodology for the assessment and measurement of reliability, availability, maintainability, and safety of industrial systems using fault-tree representation. A fuzzy methodology for fault-tree evaluation seems to be an alternative solution to overcome the drawbacks of the conventional approach (insufficient information concerning the relative frequence of hazard events). To improve the quality of results, the membership functions must be approximated based on heuristic considerations. The purpose of this study is to describe the knowledge engineering approach, directed to integrate the various sources of knowledge involved in a FTA.