Risk analysis (engineering)

So, imagine you are playing outside and you want to climb a tree. You need to think about whether it is safe to climb or not. Is the tree sturdy? Are the branches strong enough to hold you? Is it too high and might you fall and hurt yourself?

Risk analysis is just like that. Engineers need to think about all the different things that could go wrong with something they are building or designing. They think about what might happen if there is an earthquake, or if something breaks. They also think about what might happen if someone uses the thing in the wrong way.

All of these things are called "risks." An engineer's job is to figure out how likely those risks are, and how bad they would be if they actually happened. This helps them make sure that the things they build are safe for people to use.

Once they figure out all the risks, they come up with ways to prevent them from happening, or to make them less dangerous. This might mean adding special safety features, or making the design stronger or more flexible. They might also create instructions on how to use the thing safely.

So in the end, just like you have to think about the risks of climbing a tree, engineers have to think about all the risks of their designs. They study and plan to make sure the things they build are safe for everyone to use.