Engineering Excellence: Best Practices for Minimizing Errors and Maximizing Safety
- Course Number: C1003
- Credits: 4 hours
- Instructor: Helen Chen, Ph.D., PE
- Price: $40
Course Outline
Throughout history, there are many engineering blunders, from the infamous crash of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge in 1940 to the tragic explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger in 1986. Many of these blunders could have been avoided with more careful and cautious approaches to design, as well as better communication and coordination among stakeholders. This course offers valuable insights into the causes and consequences of engineering blunders, along with strategies to minimize their occurrence. In addition to providing tips for avoiding design blunders, this course emphasizes the importance of risk assessment and management, effective communication and collaboration, quality assurance and control, and ongoing professional development. Whether you are a professional engineer, land surveyor, construction manager, or architect, you will benefit significantly from applying the lessons and advice in this course to your professional practice.
At the end of this course, there will be a multiple-choice, open-book quiz, which is designed to enhance your understanding of the course material.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this course, the student will:
- Apply risk assessment and management techniques to proactively identify, assess, and mitigate potential hazards and risks in engineering projects;
- Develop and maintain a robust quality assurance and control system that promotes continuous improvement, prevents engineering blunders, and ensures adherence to regulatory and industry standards;
- Engage in ongoing professional development activities to enhance technical competence, stay current with industry trends, and maintain adherence to ethical standards and best practices; and
- Apply the lessons learned to improve the safety, reliability, and sustainability of their own designs and engineering practices.