Calculating Factor of Safety is basically asking, “How much do I trust my materials, my workers, and the random drunk guy who might lean on my structure?” If you trust them completely, use an FoS of 1.0 and join a reality show for daredevils. If you’re paranoid like me, use an FoS of 10 and apologize to your wallet.
In the end, remember this: the Factor of Safety is not a measure of your anxiety, but of your honesty. It’s the universe’s way of saying, “Sure, you think you’re smart, but let’s build it twice as strong just in case you’re wrong.” And that, my friend, is the engineering equivalent of wearing a belt and suspenders—and also a parachute. Cheers to not breaking stuff.
