Question 2 of 7: Sources of Hazards and Communication in Safety

Question 2: Sources of Hazards and Communication in Safety (20 marks: 7/7/6)

Question text not reproduced: the examination questions are © Engineers and Geoscientists BC. Open the official past paper (linked at the top of this page) to read the question, then follow the worked solution below.

(i) Engineering Activities that Give Rise to Hazards

• Design decisions (inadequate design, no safety factor, poor material choice).
• Process design/operation — high pressures/temperatures, hazardous chemicals, energy handling.
• Plant layout — crowding, poor access, inadequate ventilation/lighting.
• Equipment/machinery selection and installation — unguarded, unsuitable equipment.
• Construction and maintenance methods.
• Modification of existing systems without reassessing hazards. Each stage can introduce hazards if safety is not designed in.

(ii) Non-Engineering Factors Causing Hazards

• Human factors — errors, fatigue, inadequate training, unsafe acts, attitude.
• Management/organizational — weak policy, poor supervision, inadequate procedures, production pressure, poor safety culture.
• Environmental — noise, temperature, lighting, housekeeping, weather.
• Administrative — lack of maintenance, no inspections, poor scheduling.
• These interact with engineering factors (the four M's) to create hazards.

(iii) Components of Communication in Safety Engineering (diagram)

Effective safety communication requires a complete loop; a breakdown in any component leads to misunderstanding and hazard:

 SENDER --> [encode] --> MESSAGE --> CHANNEL --> [decode] --> RECEIVER
 (source)                (+ medium)                            |
    ^                                                          |
    |------------------- FEEDBACK ------------------------------
                 (NOISE/barriers act on every stage)

• Sender (source), message (encoded information), channel/medium (verbal, written, visual, signal), receiver (decodes), and feedback (confirms understanding). Noise/barriers (physical noise, jargon, language, distraction) can distort any stage—so clear encoding, appropriate channel and feedback are essential for safety-critical messages.