American Association of Engineering Societies

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Health and Safety

Engineers continuously seek to enhance the safety of the processes and products they develop and prevent and mitigate incidents that could impair human health and safety. The engineering community has an ethical obligation to ensure that processes and products are safe and present no unacceptable risks to affected workers and the general public. Industry, government, and academia, individually and in cooperation with one another, must encourage the development and dissemination of information that promotes health and safety practices in engineering.

Risk assessment, risk management, and risk communication are vital tools for assisting decision-makers and the public in understanding the nature and extent of potential risks to health and safety. Government policies regulating safety and health should, to the extent practicable, incorporate risk-based decision-making and identify priorities to ensure that limited governmental resources are efficiently allocated.

Policy Objectives

Disseminate the latest scientific and engineering practices for preventing and mitigating events that can endanger health and safety
Encourage and facilitate the teaching and understanding of ethical, social, safety, and environmental considerations to be used in the practice of engineering
Promote cooperative research, design efforts, and information exchange between government, industry, and academia in order to develop and implement the new data, designs, and technologies necessary for continuous improvement in health and safety
Advocate that engineers be involved during the process of construction and maintenance of projects in the interest of quality and safety, including the safety of the public as well as those on the job site

Society Statements

AIChE

Association Health Plans : 8/15/02

ANS

The Safety of Transporting Radioactive Materials : 8/15/02
Reactor Safety : 8/15/02
International Nuclear Power Reactor Safety Standards : 8/15/02
Health Effects of Low Level Radiation : 8/15/02

ASCE

Bridge Safety (PS 208) : 8/18/02
Highway Safety (PS 367) : 8/19/02
Construction Site Safety (PS 350) : 7/1/98
Crane Safety on Construction Sites (PS 424) : 4/1/98
Periodic Inspection of Existing Facilities (PS 283) : 8/19/02
Post Construction Surveys of Civil Engineering Works (PS 290) : 8/19/02
Project Peer Review (PS 351) : 8/19/02
Mitigating the Impacts of Natural Disasters (PS 389) : 8/19/02
Responsibility for Dam Safety (PS 280) : 8/19/02
Earthquake Hazards Mitigation (PS 390) : 8/19/02

ASME

IEEE-USA

Privacy, Confidentiality, and Security of Personal Health Information : 8/13/02
U.S. Government Advisory Entities Concerned with Health Related Issues : 8/13/02
Improving the Health Care System Through the Use of Information Technologies. : 8/13/02