TITLE:

CAUSES OF ENGINEEERING
ACCIDENTS

REG NO:
CE/2022/754
CE/2022/755

NAME:
IROKA EMMANUEL
AGUPUSI JUDE KELECHI

COURSE:
ENGINEERING SOCIETY

LECTURER:
ENGR. EMEKA
 UNCOVERING THE ROOT CAUSES OF ENGINEERING ACCIDENTS

INTRODUCTION

E ngineering, with its innovative solutions and groundbreaking advancements, has significantly
transformed our world. However, it is also a field that carries the weight of immense responsibility.
Engineering accidents can result in catastrophic consequences, causing loss of life, environmental
damage, and financial setbacks. This article delves into the underlying causes of engineering accidents,
shedding light on factors that lead to these unfortunate incidents.

HUMAN FACTORS
Human errors are a leading cause of engineering accidents. Factors within this category include:

Inadequate Training: Engineers, technicians, and operators who lack proper training are more
likely to make critical mistakes.

Fatigue and Stress:It makes you less alert, affects your hand-eye coordination, and could result
in you driving more recklessly. Long working hours and high-pressure environments can lead to lapses in
judgment and decreased alertness.

Complacency: What is complacency and how does it affect work sites?

Complacency can be the most dangerous mindset that results in an injury or accident. When you
begin to work on “auto-pilot” mode, and stop paying attention to what you are doing, that can lead to
taking short cuts and taking risks.
 When working on routine, repetitive tasks, or driving to familiar sites, you can become very
comfortable and you go on “auto-pilot." All too often you do not realize how complacent you have
become until you have a near miss or close call. Such events tend to jump start hearts and refocus
proper attention, at least for a little while, to the importance of tasks at hand. Complacency causes a
sense of numbness to hazards.

Complacency causes accidentsComplacency can be defined as self-satisfaction, especially when

accompanied by unawareness of actual dangers or deficiencies. Complacency is extremely dangerous in
the workplace. You get so used to things being done the same way that you do not always look at the
hazards in your surroundings. You may also underestimate the risk of tasks that you perform regularly or
fail to notice a change in your environment when you become complacent in your daily routines.Most
incidents are caused by unsafe acts. Companies and employees work hard to create a safe workplace
and eliminate unsafe acts. When individuals become too familiar with a process or task, they may
become less cautious, assuming nothing will go wrong.

Overconfidence: A misplaced sense of mastery can lead to risky decisions and poor judgment.

DESIGN AND ENGINEERING FACTORS

Accidents often occur due to flaws in design and engineering practices:

Inadequate Design: Poorly designed systems or components may lack necessary redundancies and
safety features.

Material and Component Failures: Weak or substandard materials, wear and tear, or inadequate
maintenance can lead to equipment failures.

Testing and Evaluation: Inadequate or superficial testing may fail to uncover design flaws or
vulnerabilities.

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS
The external environment can play a significant role in engineering accidents:
Weather Conditions: Adverse weather, such as storms, heavy rains, or extreme temperatures, can affect
operations.Strong Winds

Temperature

Lightning

Heavy Rain

Fog

• STRONG WINDS
One of the main dangers from strong winds will be to people and loose material which is at a
height, as it is likely to be more exposed and therefore more susceptible to high winds. Cranes and
towers are particularly at risk. People working at height can be blown to the side, increasing the chances
of them falling if there is insufficient side protection or harnesses to stop them from falling. If the wind is
strong, there can be a risk of materials such as roof tiles and fast-moving debris striking a person. Also,
the wind can whip up dust which can damage or irritate eyes, as well as aggravating conditions such as
asthma.

Strong winds can also make it difficult to hear properly, so much so that workers may be oblivious to
approaching vehicles if they cannot hear them coming.

• TEMPERATURE
Two hot and exhausted construction workers sat down taking a break

Extremes of temperature can directly or indirectly increase the probability of an accident. Work
taking place in extreme cold runs the risk of poor visibility through frozen up windscreens, as well as
creating slip hazards from ice.

In hot temperatures, workers may suffer from conditions such as dehydration and sunstroke
which can affect their judgement and reaction times, and is particularly perilous when driving a heavy
vehicle around or operating machinery. They may also give in to temptation to cool down by not wearing
protective equipment such as hard hats or high-visibility jackets, which increases the odds of them being
injured or killed by a moving object or falling item.
 Along with causing issues for people, high temperatures or the intense glare of the sun can cause
overheating and fire risks to machinery and flammable materials on site. This makes the safe storage of
hazardous substances all the more essential for preventing accidents.

Extreme temperatures can also cause machinery to not operate correctly, or sometimes even
break down completely. Not only will this cost time and money, but it can also be extremely dangerous if
the temperature were to damage or cause a failsafe feature not to function whilst in use. Rubber seals
are one such component that are particularly vulnerable to cold weather as they become hard and do
not expand and contract as they are supposed to.

• LIGHTNING
The abundance of metal on a construction site means that the risk of lightning is very real,
particularly for objects that are tall and higher up such as cranes and scaffolding. Acting as conductors,
there is a chance they could be struck by lightning, causing electrocution, fires, or explosions as a result.

Although not always, the presence of lightning in the area is usually accompanied by some of the
other potentially dangerous weather conditions mentioned in this article such as heavy rain and strong
winds.

• HEAVY RAIN
Apart from being unpleasant to work in, the presence of heavy or torrential rain will reduce
visibility for the drivers of vehicles, and will turn the ground into mud which poses its own risks to the
health and safety of site workers.

In some countries, rain can be so torrential that flash floods can occur with very little warning.
Not only can this put equipment at risk, but fast moving deep water also poses a danger to life. An
industry that is particularly at risk in this regard is mining, as the deep pits and shafts can quickly become
overwhelmed.
 • FOG
Fog can be particularly dangerous for the workers on a construction site as it greatly reduces the
visibility of everyone. The drivers of vehicles will not be able to see very far ahead, meaning that they
may not be able to react in time if a person or object is in the roadway. The driver may even drive off the
road if they cannot see where the edge is, increasing the chances of them colliding with something or
driving over the edge of a steep drop. Along with the visibility issues for the drivers, workers on the
ground will also find it difficult to see approaching vehicles and get out of the way in time.

CONCLUSION
Storm clouds gathering near a construction building site

The unpredictability and power of the weather can create unforeseen problems and delays. Even
with the most comprehensive project management and all of the health and safety courses and training
in the world, there are still risks of injuries and accidents occurring, which will be greatly increased with
the presence of one or more of the weather conditions listed above.

The weather can change dramatically quickly. What started as a nice calm day can turn into one
where the weather poses a very real threat to the health and safety of everybody working on the
construction site.

Not only do construction site managers and supervisors need to keep a close watch on
changeable weather conditions at all times, but there also needs to be in place suitable plans and
proactive safety measures to keep people safe, rather than solely relying on the site manager spotting a
change in the weather and warning everybody. For instance, this can include measures such as always
storing harmful substances away when not in use rather than leaving them lying around whatever the
weather, ensuring that all loose objects and material are securely fastened down when not in use, and
ensuring suitable drainage channels are dug should heavy rain fall.

Just as in other industries and places of work, conducting thorough risks assessments and taking
a proactive approach to dealing with potential problems before they occur is one of the most important
and effective methods of preventing harm befalling people at work. Whilst it is true that weather events
are notoriously unpredictable by their very nature, having suitable measures in place before it hits can
drastically lessen the impact they can have on people’s health, safety and well-being.

Geographic Location: Proximity to hazardous materials or geological instability can increase the risk of
accidents.

ORGANIZATIONAL FACTORS
The organizational structure and culture within engineering companies are also influential:

Management and Leadership: A lack of emphasis on safety culture, poor management decisions, and
insufficient accountability can contribute to accidents.

Workforce Issues: High turnover rates, inadequate training, and a lack of employee involvement in
safety programs can be problematic.

Budgetary Constraints: Cost-cutting measures and insufficient funding for maintenance can compromise
safety.

REGULATORY AND COMPLIANCE FACTORS

Regulations and their enforcement play a pivotal role:

Inadequate Regulation: Weak or poorly enforced regulations can leave gaps in safety standards.

Compliance Challenges: Bureaucratic hurdles and a lack of incentives for compliance may lead to
violations.

Technological Factors

Advancements in technology bring their own set of risks:

Equipment Failure: Machinery malfunctions or breakdowns can lead to accidents.

Automation Issues: Software glitches or problems with human-machine interfaces can pose dangers.

CONCLUSION

Engineering accidents are often the result of a complex interplay of human, design,
environmental, organizational, regulatory, and technological factors. To mitigate these risks, it is crucial
that engineers, regulators, and organizations work together to establish a culture of safety. Addressing
these root causes is essential in preventing accidents and ensuring that engineering continues to drive
progress while safeguarding lives and the environment. Only through a comprehensive understanding
and proactive approach to these issues can the field of engineering maintain its commitment to safety
and innovation.