Occupational hazards of the safety engineer

Our jobs as product safety engineers require us to exceed ratings, defeat safeguards and abuse products to determine their limits. Hipot tests involve high voltages and ground bond tests require high currents. We set fire to plastics and we use chemicals to test the durability of labels. Stability tests may require intentionally tipping very heavy test samples. The safety engineer's familiarity with the risks of a product may lead them to underestimate the risks inherent in testing. Safety test laboratories need to be designed to ensure test engineers and technicians follow safe work practices. The rooms need to comply with the local electrical and building codes, and the procedures need to comply with the local occupational safety and health requirements. Properly implemented procedures can reduce the risk of injury without incurring significant costs and delays.