Real-Life Examples Of Risk Management In Engineering

FMEA: Thinking About Failure Before It Happens In one of the projects I worked on, the production team was preparing to launch a new machining process. The design looked perfect on paper. The program ran smoothly in simulation. But experience has taught me something important as an engineer: the real problem often appears after the process starts running. Before the first production trial, we gathered a small team to walk through the process step by step. We asked a simple question repeatedly: What could go wrong here? A tool might wear faster than expected. A part might shift slightly during clamping. A measurement point might create variation. None of these had happened yet, but each had the potential to create real issues. This is where FMEA, or Failure Mode and Effects Analysis, becomes powerful. Instead of waiting for failure, we try to imagine it. We list possible failure modes, understand their impact, and prioritize which risks need attention first. It is not about being pessimistic. It is about thinking ahead like an engineer. Interestingly, some of the risks we identified during that discussion actually appeared months later in production. The difference was that the team was already prepared. The mitigation plan was ready, and the line kept running smoothly. Sometimes good engineering is not about fixing problems quickly, but about preventing them quietly. If this experience resonates with you, feel free to share this post so more people can see how risk thinking shapes better engineering decisions. #engineering #processengineering #fmea #riskmanagement #manufacturing #industrialengineering #continuousimprovement

🔍Quality Engineer Part 5: FMEA & Risk Analysis "What's the worst that could happen?" That question right there... is the beginning of FMEA. Failure Modes and Effects Analysis is how engineers, QA, and manufacturing teams predict failures before they happen, assess the risk, and put controls in place. But trust me, it’s not just paperwork. It’s critical thinking, cross-functional collaboration, and risk-based decision-making. Let me give you two examples 👇 ☕ Relatable Life Example You’re making coffee before work. You skip checking the water tank. Boom — no water. Next thing? You’re late, stuck in traffic, angry, and caffeine-deprived. 😤 Your FMEA might look like: Failure Mode: No water in coffee machine Effect: Delayed morning, bad mood, low productivity Severity: 7 Occurrence: 5 (you’ve done it before) Detection: 3 (no alarm on your machine) RPN = 7 × 5 × 3 = 105 Control? ✔ Add checking water to your nightly routine. FMEA is basically engineering-level overthinking with results. 😄 Now lets understand in 🧪 Technical (Pharma) terms: We were introducing a new automated blister packaging line. Before going live, we ran a PFMEA with Quality, Engineering, and Production. We identified failure modes like: Tablet misfeed Foil misalignment Seal integrity failure For each one, we scored: Severity (S) – How bad is the impact? (Patient safety = 9/10) Occurrence (O) – How often could this happen? (Misfeeds = 6/10) Detection (D) – Can we catch it before release? (Cameras = 7/10) 📊 Risk Priority Number (RPN) = S × O × D = 378 That’s high. So we: Added redundant camera systems Improved PM schedule Added auto-reject logic for seal deviation Result: Lower RPN, better control, smoother validation. 💡 Why It Matters FMEA teaches you to: Think ahead Collaborate cross-functionally Prioritize risk Drive process improvement It’s one of those tools that once you learn it, you start seeing it everywhere. 🎓 Want to Learn more on PFMEA from Experts? If you're interested in mastering PFMEA, here is one of the best industry-recognized programs: ✅ ASQ - World Headquarters - PFMEA Training Program 🔗 https://lnkd.in/ehpP3_cR This course is practical, detailed, and align with what the industry expects from process engineers and QA professionals. 💡 Takeaway FMEA isn’t just a form — it’s a way of thinking. If you can understand how and where things go wrong, you’ll always be one step ahead — whether you're on the shop floor or in a boardroom. #FMEA #RiskAnalysis #QualityEngineering #CAPA #Validation #MedicalDevices #PharmaIndustry #ProcessImprovement #LinkedInLearning

Local Weather Data x Critical Risk Management We talk a lot about environmental impacts on high-risk activities—like wind speed & direction impacting crane lifts, work at height, and heavy equipment operations—but how representative is the weather data we rely on? Most of the time, we use forecasted conditions from national meteorological services which are great for general awareness but often don’t reflect site-specific conditions. A forecast from a weather station 30km away doesn’t capture sudden wind gusts at a crane lift zone, temperature variations on-site, or microclimates created by terrain. Having local, real-time weather data at the actual worksite enables better risk management decisions. Instead of relying on broad forecasts, organisations can monitor live conditions at the precise location where critical work is happening. PLUS you get your own comprehensive data set for analytics... In the photos I'm holding a Davis EnviroMonitor Gateway LTE & Vantage Pro2 GroWeather Sensor Suite which is an example of a local weather monitoring system. This system provides real-time, hyper-local weather data directly from the worksite, enabling data-driven risk management decisions. It delivers real-time updates every 2.5 seconds; has wind speed, temperature, humidity, and rainfall monitoring plus solar radiation and evapotranspiration data which is also valuable for heat stress risk. This model has LTE connectivity (basically you can stick a SIM card in it) for remote monitoring and integration with cloud platforms. These systems aren't that expensive and offer new insights for local risk management that I've found can make a pretty big difference to your risk control strategy. Is anyone else implementing local weather systems for crane ops or other critical risk management? #safetytech #safetyinnovation #IoT

What does a vintage Apollo 15 photo tell us about risk, people, and decision‑making in modern engineering and threat modeling? I recently came across a signed Apollo 15 print addressed “To the Boeing Team with many thanks for the contributions to the success of Apollo 15.” And while the photo is beautiful, its deeper lessons are what really matter. Here are the insights I pulled out: Genuine recognition matters. A simple thank‑you on a print shows how morale, pride, and ownership are tied to trust in big, risky programs. “Buying down risk” isn’t just about technical work; it’s about structuring efforts so uncertainties get resolved over time, even if you can’t fully quantify them upfront. High complexity (weight, mechanical systems, logistics) was accepted because the return was worth it: extended reach, novel science, more capability. Risk was high. Failure could mean death. But some risks are worth taking. Many projects today under‑estimate how much the “non‑technical” risks cost: coordination, contractor management, alignment of purpose. Apollo teaches us risk isn’t just probability; it’s what you’re willing to live with — and who you bring along on the journey. What risks in your projects are you underestimating, because they’re “soft,” “organizational,” or “management” risks? And also — if anyone from Boeing has real history of the print, I'd love to hear it. (Fuller commentary, with links, in comments) #RiskManagement #EngineeringLeadership #ThreatModeling #Apollo

When temporary works fail, permanent losses happen. This footage captures a large structural element overturning during transport and loading operations, not due to material failure, but because of a miscalculation in load balance and center of gravity during a critical transition stage. What stands out is a lesson every engineer learns the hard way: 👉 The most dangerous phase of a project is often not the final structure — but the temporary condition. From an engineering perspective, this incident highlights: • Inadequate assessment of center of gravity (CoG) after load configuration changes • Insufficient lateral stability and restraint during transport • Underestimation of dynamic effects (barge movement, braking, water level variation) • Lack of redundancy in temporary support systems Temporary works, lifting plans, and transport stages must be designed, checked, and reviewed with the same rigor as permanent structures. A single overlooked assumption can instantly turn months of engineering and fabrication into total loss. Engineering takeaway: If the temporary condition fails, the permanent structure never gets the chance to succeed. #StructuralEngineering #CivilEngineering #TemporaryWorks #ConstructionSafety #HeavyLifting #EngineeringLessons #FailureAnalysis #ConstructionManagement #RiskEngineering #SiteSafety #PrecastConcrete #EngineeringMindset

When Risk Management Fails: Lessons from Boeing’s 737 MAX Crisis Effective risk management extends far beyond written policies, it requires strategic foresight, rigorous governance, and uncompromising accountability. The Boeing 737 MAX crisis remains one of the most significant modern examples of systemic breakdowns in enterprise risk management (ERM). 🔹 What Happened? To accelerate market entry and compete with Airbus, Boeing introduced the 737 MAX with a newly integrated software function, the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS). The system was not adequately disclosed to pilots, nor was sufficient simulator training mandated. This design and communication gap contributed to two fatal crashes (2018 and 2019), leading to a global grounding of the fleet, regulatory scrutiny, and financial losses exceeding $20 billion. 🔹 What Went Wrong? Governance & Strategic Risk: Commercial pressures to meet competitive timelines overrode established safety and governance protocols. Operational Risk: Insufficient pilot training, incomplete documentation, and inadequate system transparency created operational vulnerabilities. Reputational Risk: The crashes severely eroded global trust in Boeing, with long-term brand equity damage. Compliance & Regulatory Risk: Gaps in FAA oversight and reliance on delegated certification processes led to systemic blind spots. Model Risk: MCAS logic was dependent on single-sensor inputs, violating redundancy principles and increasing systemic failure probability. 🔹 What Could Have Been Done Differently? Risk Culture: Embedding a culture that prioritizes safety assurance over speed-to-market. Board-Level Oversight: Establishing independent risk and safety committees with veto authority over high-risk design decisions. Stakeholder Engagement: Transparent communication and engagement with pilots, airlines, and regulators regarding system changes. Integrated ERM Framework: A holistic ERM model linking strategic, operational, compliance, and reputational risk, ensuring risk signals are escalated and acted upon in real time. Technical Resilience: Designing critical systems with redundancy and fail-safe engineering principles to mitigate catastrophic single-point failures. The 737 MAX crisis underscores a universal corporate truth: ignoring early warning signals transforms manageable risks into systemic failures. Risk management is not a supporting function—it is a strategic enabler of resilience and sustainable growth. @Institute of Risk Management (IRM) | @Risk.net | @The Risk Management Association (RMA) | @Harvard Business Review | @Deloitte Risk & Financial Advisory

💥 Lessons from the Achinsk Refinery Disaster 2014 In the world of industrial operations, "minor" oversights often lead to major catastrophes. The 2014 explosion at the Achinsk Refinery remains one of the most sobering case studies in the oil and gas industry, reminding us that process safety is not a checkbox, it is a continuous commitment. Based on the technical investigation, we can identify four critical root causes that created the "huge disaster" for this tragedy: 1️⃣ The Failure of Technical Integrity (Corrosion): The physical trigger was the rupture of a pipeline due to extreme corrosion. The investigation revealed that a 2010 safety audit failed to accurately assess the corrosion rate, mistakenly extending the pipeline's operational life by eight years. 2️⃣ Instrumentation & Design Flaws: The column’s level gauge was malfunctioning, providing contradictory data to operators. A lack of redundancy in the control system design meant that when the radar-type level meter failed, the team was left "flying blind." 3️⃣ The Human Element & Decision Making: Information regarding equipment defects was not properly documented in shift handovers. When pressure began to spike, operators misdiagnosed the situation as "boiling" rather than "overfilling." This diagnostic error delayed critical emergency actions during the final minutes before the blast. 4️⃣ Ineffective Safety Barriers: Even after the leak occurred, the steam curtain designed to prevent gas from reaching ignition sources failed to perform effectively. Whether due to manual valve issues or a drop in system pressure, the final line of defense crumbled. #ProcessSafety #OilAndGas #IndustrialSafety #RootCauseAnalysis #EngineeringExcellence #RiskManagement

🎥 𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 💧 Flood risks during construction can be a big challenge, but with the right steps, we can turn potential disasters into manageable situations. 🌧️ As a hydraulic engineer, I've seen how critical it is to approach this with a proactive mindset. By integrating risk assessments and protective measures early on, we can safeguard both our projects and our teams. 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞'𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬 𝐨𝐧: 👉 𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐤 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭: Always include data on potential flood levels in your site management plan. It's better to be prepared than caught off guard. 👉 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐄𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭: Installing temporary drainage systems and flood barriers can make a huge difference. 🛠️ These measures help keep the construction site safe and prevent costly delays. 👉 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭: Have a plan ready for when things don’t go as expected. Being prepared for the unexpected is key to keeping your project on track. Remember, it's not just about reacting to floods—it's about planning ahead to reduce their impact. 🌍 Let's keep the conversation going! How do you manage flood risks on your construction projects? Let me know in the comments! ⬇️ *𝘊𝘰𝘱𝘺𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘰 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘸𝘯𝘦𝘳. 𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘪𝘯𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴, 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘮𝘴, 𝘰𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘢𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘴, 𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘤𝘵 𝘮𝘦. ----------------- 👇👇👇𝑰𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖'𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒏 𝒔𝒊𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒂𝒓 𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒕𝒔, 𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒆: 🔍 Follow Karoline Qasem, PhD, PE, PMP, #20MinRule 🔔 Click the bell icon on my profile 👍 Like 🔁 Repost --------------- #HydraulicEngineering #FloodRiskManagement #ConstructionSafety #Infrastructure #RiskAssessment #EngineeringTips #WaterManagement #CivilEngineering #EnvironmentalEngineering #ConstructionProjects #ProjectManagement #EngineeringSolutions #SustainableInfrastructure #ProtectiveMeasures #FloodPrevention #RiskMitigation