1. Education
1.1. Is the problem brought about by lack of knowledge or by a design error?
2. Safety
2.1. chemical toxicity
2.1.1. human health hazards
2.1.2. environmental hazards
2.1.3. physical hazards
2.2. product safety
2.2.1. hazard assessment
2.2.2. exposure assessment
2.2.3. risk management
2.3. health and safety
2.3.1. occupational health risks
2.3.2. safety managment at work
3. Environment
3.1. reduced climate impact
3.1.1. enable renewable / bio-based products
3.1.2. reduced carbon footprint in production
3.1.3. use renewable energy
3.2. improved circularity
3.2.1. biodegradeability or compostability - so product does not pose danger to habitats or wildlife
3.2.2. waste prevention along the life cycle
3.2.3. improved durability and repairability
3.3. protect, preserve and restore ecosystems
3.3.1. pollution prevention and control - this can cause harm to both the environment and us.
3.3.2. reduce resource use
3.3.3. use of sustainably produced, renewable raw materials
3.3.4. protection of water and marine resources
4. Economy
4.1. life-cycle cost and profitability: even if a product is safe and has many positives, if it is too expensive to produce then it will not be viable in the real world.
4.2. product performance
4.3. product ingredients and properties. Must be honest about what is in the product and whether it is safe.
5. Society
5.1. employment and workers
5.1.1. respect for human rights and dignity
5.2. public health
5.3. consumer health impacts
5.4. affordability
5.5. community engagement and communication
5.6. work-life balance
6. Reliability
7. Safety in sport
7.1. Minimising injury risk
7.2. Flooring type can contribute to safety - as some causes of injury are slips, trips and falls, this risk can be minimised by correct specification of flooring and proper maintenance.
7.2.1. Flooring in wet areas such as swimming pools - the risk of slips and falls is high here due to the presence of water and moisture, but also must withstand the corrosive effects of being exposed to water.
7.2.2. Polymer flooring systems that include quartz beads are effective as they give a textured finish which provides non-slip qualities through increased friction.
7.3. Hygiene
7.4. Easy accessibility and navigation.
8. Safety from natural disasters
8.1. Heatwaves e.g. in Australia - methods of cooling down such as adequate ventilation and air conditioning. Handheld fans can also keep people safe, but do use a lot of energy.
8.2. Wildfires e.g. in USA - physical protection from smoke or smog can help save lives and prevent lung damage/breathing problems - equipment for firefighters such as Nomex (fireproof fabric) firefighting gear.
8.3. Hurricanes in the Caribbean - Flood defenses and wind-proof buildings can be helpful, and also well-designed survival kits.
8.4. Floods in South-east Asia - these can be mitigated by installing effective flood defenses and by planning easy-to-use evacuation routes.
8.5. Earthquakes in South-east Asia - earthquakes can harm people, from collapsing buildings or falls from shaking. Buildings should be designed with this in mind, for example with earthquake-proof features or adequate evacuation routes.
8.6. Impacts of natural disasters can be worsened by unreliable buildings, installations and infrastructure.
8.7. Structural and mechanical engineers need to plan for these kinds of unexpected events but at the same time, face demands for cheaper, lighter and quieter products.
9. Safe products need to be reliable
9.1. In mechanical engineering, reliability is the probability of an item performing its intended function for a specific period in specific conditions.
9.2. Testing a product to the point of failure can be a useful tool for investigating reliability. It makes failures more visible and allows designs to be altered to improve the durability or overall safety of the product.
9.3. You can then understand the true reliability and robustness of the product and have a fuller understanding of its capacity to withstand unexpected events.
10. Risk assessments
10.1. identify hazards and risks
10.2. take action - include control measures (how could processes be done differently - or not done at all)
10.3. review - has implementation worked?
11. Safety materials
11.1. Personal protective equipment (PPE)
11.1.1. Equipment worn to minimize exposure to hazards that cause workplace injury and illness.
11.1.1.1. hazards may include: chemical and radiological hazards, physical, electrical or mechanical hazards.
11.1.2. PPE includes: gloves, safety glasses and shoes, hard hats, ear plugs/ear defenders, coveralls and respirators
11.1.3. It should fit comfortably, encouraging worker use.
11.1.4. workers must also be trained to use the equipment correctly.
11.1.4.1. when it is neccessary, what kind is neccessary, how to put it on, adjust, wear and take it off, limitations of the equipment, proper care, maintanence and disposal of the product.