What is Industrial Safety Engineering?

Industrial safety engineering is a field most concerned with the way in which a production process is carried out, with a heavy focus on the safety of people and machines during manufacturing. This type of industrial engineering involves the development and monitoring of safe production systems and the assessment and correction of risky work situations, such as hazardous exposures and employee accidents. The industrial safety engineering industry also supports and educates others in the following of prescribed governmental and company safety policies and laws.

One main component of a job in industrial safety engineering is the design and monitoring of systems used to build and assemble products. An industrial safety engineer plans strategies to control work flow safely, creates and communicates these plans to others, and assesses the success of these organizational goals. Governmental agencies also develop plans, policies, and laws surrounding the safe production of products. Industrial safety engineering is a constant process of developing, practicing, and testing proper occupational safety measures. The design component of safety engineering involves much documentation, including diagrams, written paperwork, and computerized records.

Industrial safety engineering also exists to help organizations identify and make plans to correct dangerous situations. Industrial safety engineers spend much time creating and implementing procedures to be used in the case of equipment malfunction, worker issues, or threatening circumstances. Governmental laws, policies, and suggestions are important parts of any company effort to utilize safety engineering most effectively. Additionally, a company may involve many of its senior officers and engineers in the creation and practice of company-specific rules regarding emergencies and hazards.

Those working in industrial safety engineering are very interested in current company and governmental safety policies and laws. Employees must obey company policies and equipment must be checked and maintained for proper functioning. Companies must adhere to the policies of governments or agencies, adequately counsel employees on rights and regulations, and negotiate with governmental entities that supervise occupational safety. Additionally, organizations spend time, effort, and money on obtaining safety certifications through a process of inspections and records.

During a typical workday, industrial safety engineers operate in many different sectors. Some in this field work for health care organizations, governmental agencies, or private employers. In many cases, people in some sectors must maintain relationships with those in other sectors in order to complete safety duties. Assessment and evaluation occur in all of these sectors as industrial safety engineers attempt to construct safe manufacturing methods and ensure their success.