ENGM 560
SAFETY ENGINEERING
CH. 1: INTRODUCTION
PART 4
1
SYSTEM SAFETY AND RISK ASSESSMENT
Engineers must use system safety engineering
analyses to truly understand what causes hazards and
how they should be controlled.
Risk assessment takes that information and helps the
engineer weigh the options and decide which is the
most cost-effective.
2
GOVERNMENT SAFETY REGULATIONS
VERSUS SAFETY FROM INDUSTRY’S
POINT OF VIEW
One side screams that safety regulation is
excessively difficult and is crushing the
economy and ultimately eliminating jobs.
The other screams that companies are not
valuing human life and focusing only on
making money.
3
GOVERNMENT SAFETY REGULATIONS
VERSUS SAFETY FROM INDUSTRY’S
POINT OF VIEW
Historically, we see an increase in government
oversight after a major disaster, especially
with significant loss of life and despoiling of
the environment.
4
GOVERNMENT SAFETY REGULATIONS
VERSUS SAFETY FROM INDUSTRY’S
POINT OF VIEW
What we need is
A slight balance between government safety
regulations that truly do protect the public and
industry’s ability to be innovative, cost
competitive, and have a sustainable business.
5
GOVERNMENT SAFETY REGULATIONS
VERSUS SAFETY FROM INDUSTRY’S
POINT OF VIEW
“What is the correct balance?”
6
GOVERNMENT SAFETY REGULATIONS
VERSUS SAFETY FROM INDUSTRY’S
POINT OF VIEW
To have a healthy tension and debate between
the two ends of the spectrum, but it must focus
on how to support industry competitiveness
while protecting the public.
7
SAFETY STANDARDS AND CODES
In many countries, safety standards and codes of practices
have started being developed across many industries including
Transportation
Education
Health
Tourism
Food industry
Water and
electricity
Building and
construction
Waste
management
Commercial
activity sectors
8
CONCLUSION
It is obvious that the system safety engineering
professional has evolved over time.
Engineers have been forced to take more serious
approach to designing safety into both systems and
products.
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