RISK MANAGEMENT IN ENGINEERING ACTIVITIES - MATRIX METHOD AND MULTI-CRITERIA ANALYSIS.

Engineering activity is charged with a very high risk. The engineering and construction activity is connected with a number of tasks, both planning and design as well as execution and maintenance of facilities already in use. At each stage of investment process operation they depend on a number of external and internal factors. They have a large impact on the success or failure of the investment project. When preparing the project, it is necessary to analyze the accompanying conditions. Recognizing possible threats allows you to take preventive measures and avoid losses that may be a consequence of risk. The main goal of the article is to show how important it is to carry out the identification and assessment of risks accompanying engineering activities, and to show how it can be done. In this type of analysis, matrix methods are usually used to assess the level of risk as low, medium, acceptable or high as well as the potential effects of the analyzed adverse phenomena. The methods are based on a descriptive scale developed each time individually for the analyzed projects. In the article, the threat for the exemplary investment was analyzed using the matrix method, and then the results of the study were compared with the analysis carried out using the multi-criteria analysis method. The application of multi-criteria analysis required the definition of a number of criteria for risk assessment and the assessment of their validity by experts. The advantages and disadvantages of both procedures have been described, showing that both procedures can be useful in different situations. The main conclusion from the conducted analysis is the statement that the most important is the awareness of threats and their analysis before proceeding with implementation, which allows to take effective preventive actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]