SENG 312 EXAM 1 QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED SOLUTIONS LATEST UPDATE 2026
System - Answers A set of interacting or interdependent component parts forming a complex or
intricate whole.
Systems Thinking - Answers Is the use of various techniques to study and understand systems of
many kinds.
Defining a System - Answers -Composed of parts.
-A system is greater than the sum of its parts.
-All parts of a system must be related.
-Has a boundary.
-Can be nested inside another system.
-Is autonomous in fulfilling its purpose (a car is not a system. A car with a driver is a system).
Subsystem - Answers Represents an element of a system that may contribute a system itself.
Safety - Answers A measure of the degree of freedom from risk or conditions that can cause death,
physical harm, or equipment or property damage. Should be thought of as a characteristic of a system
like quality, dependability, or reliability.
Safety System - Answers A design that works automatically to prevent accidents; a system that
reduces possible hazards due to human error (i.e. system shutdown).
System Safety - Answers The application of engineering and management principles, criteria, and
techniques to optimize all aspects of safety within the constraints of operational effectiveness, time,
and cost throughout all phases of the system life cycle (must consider system as a whole).
Systems Engineering - Answers Is an interdisciplinary field of engineering focusing on how complex
engineering projects should be designed and managed over their life cycles.
System Life Cycle - Answers -Concept Definition
-Development (Preliminary design, detailed design, test)
-Production
-Operation
-Disposal
Core System Safety Process Steps - Answers 1. Safety plan/define system
2. Identify hazards
3. Assess hazard risk
4. Identity safety measures
5. Reduce risk
6. Verify risk reduction
7. Review hazards and risk
8. Track hazards
Hazard - Answers To risk; to put in danger of loss or injury. Any real or potential condition that can
cause injury, illness, or death to personnel; damage to or loss of a system, equipment or property; or
damage to the environment.
Accident - Answers An undesirable and unexpected event; a mishap; an unfortunate chance or event
that results in damage to property, material, equipment, or cargo, or personal injury or death.
Mishap - Answers An unfortunate accident. An unplanned event or series of events resulting in death,
injury, occupational illness, damage to or loss of equipment or property, or damage to the
environment.
Risk - Answers Hazard; peril; jeopardy. An expression of the impact and possibility of a mishap on
terms of potential mishap severity and probability of occurrence.
Swiss Cheese Model - Answers Systems approach to understanding errors. Declares humans are
fallible and errors are to be expected even in the best organization. The holes represent opportunities
for the process to fail
DuPont Cases Study - Answers -Hot work while operations were on-going.
-Assumed no vinyl fluoride in the slurry.
-No monitoring inside the tank.
-Compressor wasn't working properly that day.
-Overflow line seal loop had a crack in the line that leaked for vinyl fluoride into the slurry tank.
Regulations and Standards Prior to 1970 - Answers Gradual growth of industrial safety programs in
the U.S.
Regulations and Standards 1970-1990 - Answers -Public reaction to incidents increased.
, -Congress enacted Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970.
-Really only had safety regulations for chemical industries.
Key Components of a safety Regulatory Regime - Answers -Governance
-Risk Management
-Compliance
Government-Industry Regulatory Relationship - Answers -Strategy and policy
-Regulation/oversight
-Operations
Prescriptive Model - Answers -Set of detailed safety requirements that an operator must meet.
-Uses a gov. command and control approach to safety.
-Uses precise design, testing, operating, and maintenance requirements criteria that must be met.
-Not very helpful, especially in large industries.
Safety Case Model - Answers -Gov. sets general safety regulations.
-Government reviews and accepts accreditation.
-Not telling you exactly what to do, but do everything possible to prevent hazards.
-Used more.
Process Safety Management of Highly Hazardous Chemicals (OSHA 1992) - Answers General
requirements for managing hazardous substances; with focus to protect on-site people. Not
interesting in people outside of facility.
14 Major Sections:
-Process safety information
-Process hazard analysis
-Management of change
-Audits
-Employee participation
-etc.
Risk Management Plan (EPA, 1996) - Answers Aimed at decreasing number and magnitude of
accidental releases of toxic and flammable substances, with focus to protect off-site people and
environment.
4 Major Elements:
-Hazard assessment
-Prevention program
-Emergency response and handling and sharing of this information
Power and Responsibilities of OSHA - Answers 1. Setting and enforcing standards: safety and health.
2. Conducting inspection: Workplace inspections (citations and violations).
3. Recordkeeping: Requiring records for safety and health.
4. Training: Train employees and personnel to enforce the act.
OSHA Process Safety Management System - Answers (PSM)
14 Elements
EPA's Risk Management Program Rules - Answers -Identify hazards/consequences that may result
from releases
-Design/maintain safe facility
-Required to promulgate list of substances with threshold quantities and develop a risk management
program rule.
Risk Management Plan for EPA - Answers (RMP)
-Aimed at decreasing number and magnitude of accidental releases of toxic and flammable
substances.
-Focus to protect off-site people and environment.
-Prepare for worst case scenario.
Implementation of RMP - Answers Facilities must comply with either:
Program 1: no off-site accident history, no public receptors response with local responders, limited
hazards analysis req'd.
Program 3: Facilities req'd to comply with OSHA PSM, most significant RMP requirements.
Program 2: Similar to program 3, but less stringent Prevention Program req'd.
Performance Indicators - Answers Information or data that provides evidence of a company's
performance in managing its risks related to asset integrity and process safety.
Performance Measurements - Answers Variables to track:
System - Answers A set of interacting or interdependent component parts forming a complex or
intricate whole.
Systems Thinking - Answers Is the use of various techniques to study and understand systems of
many kinds.
Defining a System - Answers -Composed of parts.
-A system is greater than the sum of its parts.
-All parts of a system must be related.
-Has a boundary.
-Can be nested inside another system.
-Is autonomous in fulfilling its purpose (a car is not a system. A car with a driver is a system).
Subsystem - Answers Represents an element of a system that may contribute a system itself.
Safety - Answers A measure of the degree of freedom from risk or conditions that can cause death,
physical harm, or equipment or property damage. Should be thought of as a characteristic of a system
like quality, dependability, or reliability.
Safety System - Answers A design that works automatically to prevent accidents; a system that
reduces possible hazards due to human error (i.e. system shutdown).
System Safety - Answers The application of engineering and management principles, criteria, and
techniques to optimize all aspects of safety within the constraints of operational effectiveness, time,
and cost throughout all phases of the system life cycle (must consider system as a whole).
Systems Engineering - Answers Is an interdisciplinary field of engineering focusing on how complex
engineering projects should be designed and managed over their life cycles.
System Life Cycle - Answers -Concept Definition
-Development (Preliminary design, detailed design, test)
-Production
-Operation
-Disposal
Core System Safety Process Steps - Answers 1. Safety plan/define system
2. Identify hazards
3. Assess hazard risk
4. Identity safety measures
5. Reduce risk
6. Verify risk reduction
7. Review hazards and risk
8. Track hazards
Hazard - Answers To risk; to put in danger of loss or injury. Any real or potential condition that can
cause injury, illness, or death to personnel; damage to or loss of a system, equipment or property; or
damage to the environment.
Accident - Answers An undesirable and unexpected event; a mishap; an unfortunate chance or event
that results in damage to property, material, equipment, or cargo, or personal injury or death.
Mishap - Answers An unfortunate accident. An unplanned event or series of events resulting in death,
injury, occupational illness, damage to or loss of equipment or property, or damage to the
environment.
Risk - Answers Hazard; peril; jeopardy. An expression of the impact and possibility of a mishap on
terms of potential mishap severity and probability of occurrence.
Swiss Cheese Model - Answers Systems approach to understanding errors. Declares humans are
fallible and errors are to be expected even in the best organization. The holes represent opportunities
for the process to fail
DuPont Cases Study - Answers -Hot work while operations were on-going.
-Assumed no vinyl fluoride in the slurry.
-No monitoring inside the tank.
-Compressor wasn't working properly that day.
-Overflow line seal loop had a crack in the line that leaked for vinyl fluoride into the slurry tank.
Regulations and Standards Prior to 1970 - Answers Gradual growth of industrial safety programs in
the U.S.
Regulations and Standards 1970-1990 - Answers -Public reaction to incidents increased.
, -Congress enacted Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970.
-Really only had safety regulations for chemical industries.
Key Components of a safety Regulatory Regime - Answers -Governance
-Risk Management
-Compliance
Government-Industry Regulatory Relationship - Answers -Strategy and policy
-Regulation/oversight
-Operations
Prescriptive Model - Answers -Set of detailed safety requirements that an operator must meet.
-Uses a gov. command and control approach to safety.
-Uses precise design, testing, operating, and maintenance requirements criteria that must be met.
-Not very helpful, especially in large industries.
Safety Case Model - Answers -Gov. sets general safety regulations.
-Government reviews and accepts accreditation.
-Not telling you exactly what to do, but do everything possible to prevent hazards.
-Used more.
Process Safety Management of Highly Hazardous Chemicals (OSHA 1992) - Answers General
requirements for managing hazardous substances; with focus to protect on-site people. Not
interesting in people outside of facility.
14 Major Sections:
-Process safety information
-Process hazard analysis
-Management of change
-Audits
-Employee participation
-etc.
Risk Management Plan (EPA, 1996) - Answers Aimed at decreasing number and magnitude of
accidental releases of toxic and flammable substances, with focus to protect off-site people and
environment.
4 Major Elements:
-Hazard assessment
-Prevention program
-Emergency response and handling and sharing of this information
Power and Responsibilities of OSHA - Answers 1. Setting and enforcing standards: safety and health.
2. Conducting inspection: Workplace inspections (citations and violations).
3. Recordkeeping: Requiring records for safety and health.
4. Training: Train employees and personnel to enforce the act.
OSHA Process Safety Management System - Answers (PSM)
14 Elements
EPA's Risk Management Program Rules - Answers -Identify hazards/consequences that may result
from releases
-Design/maintain safe facility
-Required to promulgate list of substances with threshold quantities and develop a risk management
program rule.
Risk Management Plan for EPA - Answers (RMP)
-Aimed at decreasing number and magnitude of accidental releases of toxic and flammable
substances.
-Focus to protect off-site people and environment.
-Prepare for worst case scenario.
Implementation of RMP - Answers Facilities must comply with either:
Program 1: no off-site accident history, no public receptors response with local responders, limited
hazards analysis req'd.
Program 3: Facilities req'd to comply with OSHA PSM, most significant RMP requirements.
Program 2: Similar to program 3, but less stringent Prevention Program req'd.
Performance Indicators - Answers Information or data that provides evidence of a company's
performance in managing its risks related to asset integrity and process safety.
Performance Measurements - Answers Variables to track:
