ABSTRACT
Traditionally, design engineering has revolved around strictly technical considerations, such as strength of materials, machine elements, electrical considerations, manufacturability, and cost. In an era when the manufacturer is extremely vulnerable to product liability action, human factors engineering, hazards analysis, express and implied warranties, warnings and labels, failure analysis, and design review. Reducing product liability risk requires that steps be included in the design process which increase safety where possible and which warn against hazards that cannot be eliminated. Some of these activities are included in the engineer's formal training. Products can possess both inherent hazards and the potential for contributing to or initiating a sequence of events that result in a hazard. The interaction of people with products introduces hazards associated with human performance and behavior. A person who has sustained injury or financial loss can hope to receive compensation under the principle of breach of warranty. A warranty is the representation of the character or quality of a product.
