49006 Risk Management in Engineering
Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular semester, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.
UTS: Engineering: Systems, Management and LeadershipCredit points: 6 cp
Subject level:
Postgraduate
Result type: Grade and marksRequisite(s): 120 credit points of completed study in C10061 Bachelor of Engineering Diploma in Engineering Practice OR 120 credit points of completed study in C10066 Bachelor of Engineering Science OR 120 credit points of completed study in C10067 Bachelor of Engineering
These requisites may not apply to students in certain courses.
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
Handbook description
This subject develops students' capability to identify, assess, improve and limit risk in the management and practice of engineering through the application of concepts and tools of risk engineering. On completion, students are able to identify hazards in an engineering project and design an appropriate risk management strategy.
Topics include: semantics of risk and hazard; risk as a social construct; principles of risk management; risk engineering; integrating risk controls within the engineering process; risk perception, risk communication and the acceptability of risk; legal principles relating to engineering risks; risk identification and assessment; hierarchy of risk control; risk benefit analysis; positive risk; and quantitative and qualitative risk assessment methods.
Subject objectives/outcomes
The objectives of the subject are to introduce graduate level professional engineers to the methods of risk assessment and risk management in the context of their field of engineering practice. In particular, students will develop an ability to apply the Australian Standard Risk Management AS/NZS ISO 31000:2009. An understanding of the concepts of risk perception, risk communication, risk acceptability and risk treatment (mitigation, avoiding, transferring, sharing and retaining) will also be developed.
Teaching and learning strategies
The subject will primarily be presented in a lecture/tutorial format. Students are expected to participate in class discussion in an interactive and professional manner and share their engineering risk management experiences with the class.
Students are expected to do additional reading outside the classroom.
Students are expected to work and learn independently using the resource material provided in the recommended Text, LRM, and within UTSOnline.
An indication of how much time you should allocate to the study of this subject is an additional 2 hours minimum for each hour in the classroom.
Content
The subject considers the professional, legal and managerial responsibilities of the professional engineer associated with the management of risk.
Assessment
Assessment Item 1: Assignment 1 (All Modes)
| Weighting: | 10% |
| Length: | Approximately 2500 words, excluding appendices. |
Assessment Item 2: Group Report (Standard and Block Mode students only)
| Weighting: | 30% |
| Length: | Approximately 5000 words excluding appendices. |
Assessment Item 3: Group Report Presentation (Standard and Block Mode students only)
| Weighting: | 10% |
Assessment Item 4: Individual Portfolio (Distance Mode students only)
| Weighting: | 40% |
Assessment Item 5: Final exam (All Modes)
| Weighting: | 50% |
Required texts
Modarres M., Kaminskiy M., and Krivtsov, 2010. Reliability Engineering and Risk Analysis - A practical guide, New York, CRC Press Taylor and Francis.
Learning and Reading Material (LRM) for 49006 Risk Management in Engineering can be downloaded from UTS OnLine or purchased from the Union Shop. The LRM is sold at cost to students enrolled in this subject (you will need to take your Student Card).
References
The UTS Library has an excellent collection of resources on risk management.
The following is a selection of the references relevant to this subject:
Adams, J., 2005. Risk. London, Routledge.
Baker W., and Reid H., 2004. Identifying and Managing Risk, Sydney, Pearson.
Dhillon B.S., 2003. Engineering Safety: Fundamentals, techniques and applications, London, World Scientific.
Perrow C., 1994, Normal Accidents: Living with high-risk technologies, Princeton, Princeton University Press.
Ridley J., Channing J., 1999. Risk Management' Oxford, Butterworth Heinemann.
Shore Z. 2008. Blunder - Why smart people make bad decisions, New York, Bloomsbury.
