Presentation

Presentation

Today, society is faced with two objectives which seem to be contradictory: innovation which implies taking risks, whilst guaranteeing safety for all by controlling these risks.

This Advanced Master’s in « Safety Engineering & Management » provides the required skills to take up the challenge.

This vital control of technological risks involves all sectors: transportation (air, rail, road…), energy (nuclear plants, oil and gas platforms, refineries, dams, fuel cells…), production (pharmaceutical, agribusiness, manufacturing…), construction, waste disposal, etc.

Accredited by

Objectives

Whereas most courses cover one particular discipline (biology, mechanics, computer science…), ensuring the safety of a complex system such as an aircraft or an energy production plant, requires a multi-disciplinary approach to this concern.

In general, accidents don’t happen due to one particular technological cause but occur in complex circumstances involving a combination of technological as well as human factors.

For these reasons, the curriculum uses a dual approach:

- Generic approaches to risk management to have an overall control on safety

- Specific knowledge for controlling varied sources of risks.

Admission

Access condition

The application to the Advanced Master’s in "Safety Engineering & Management" requires
- a Master’s degree, or
- a validated first year of Master’s or a 4-year Bachelor’s degree plus at least 3 years of professional experience in both cases.

Selection and admission are made by an admission committee after an interview.

Program

Training content

The course consists of 9 modules (40 hours - 5 ECTS each).

Part I – Acquiring generic expertise

- Qualitative Approach to Safety. Understanding risk and safety concepts, the importance of control, and the activities related to the risk management process. Identifying risks and their origins. Avoiding accidents.

- Quantitative Approach to Safety. Analysing risks. Assessing risks with probabilistic approaches. Estimating the severity of consequences. Evaluating risks. Ascertaining acceptable risks. Treating risks.

- Safety Management. Ensuring that safety is truly integrated into the company activities thanks to a safety management process (including risk appreciation, monitoring and review) and a safety management system.

- The Human, Organizational and Social Factors of Safety. Placing engineers’ activities in their environment: Rules and regulations; Human and Organizational factors; Communication and Consultation; and an Integrated approach.

Part II – Acquiring specific expertise

- Designing for Safety. Identifying hazards associated with system life cycles. Building intrinsically safe systems. Ensuring system design compliance. Adapting systems for use.

- Toxic Risks for Humans and the Environment. Identifying chemical risks, risks associated with rays, and the risks of biotechnologies impacting humans and the environment. Analysing and mitigating their effects.

- Process Safety. Identifying hazards specific to processes. Estimating their effects. Preventing and protecting people and assets.

- Structural Safety. Identifying the causes of failures. Assessing structural risks. The decision making process during the design and operation (maintenance) phases.

- Functional Safety. Identifying hazards due to system functions. Assigning safety integrity levels. Designing safety integrated systems. Raising confidence by providing proof.

The program is developped on: http://www.safety-engineering.org/curriculum/

And after ...

Further studies

Jobs are available in Research and Development departments, in Industrial Safety departments as well as on industrial sites (nuclear plants, manufacturing plants, etc.).

Companies frequently use specialized consultancy firms which provide risk analysis skills and accident prevention implementation methods. Authorities and audit offices also employ numerous experts ensuring regulation compliance.

What kind of positions need filling?

Process Safety Engineers, Safety Engineers in nuclear or oil and gas industries, Reliability Engineers, Quality Safety and Environment Engineers, Risk Analysts in a safety consultancy, Inspectors in regulatory organizations, Risk Analysts in certification authorities or safety agencies, Risk Engineers for insurance companies.

These positions require close coordination with top management and can lead to faster career progression.

Career prospects

Find our more on http://www.safety-engineering.org/careers/