Is it correct to avoid starting sentences with subordinating conjunctions in technical writing?

Question

I work on a team where everyone has decided that it is incorrect to start a sentence with a subordinating conjunction period. For example they will change the sentence: *Based on the system-wide risk assessment, the societal risk for the Lateral is low.* to *The societal risk for the Lateral is low based on the system-wide risk assessment.* They believe that in technical writing (oil and gas) it is incorrect to start a sentence with words like 'if', 'during' 'due to' etc. Is this correct, or preferred?

Answer 1

In most professional writing, especially in technical writing, the result may depend on company policy. In the case you gave, the company policy is something like "give us the bottom line, followed by the major justification."

Believe me, most company managers, scientists and engineers do not know what a subordinating conjunction is. But they will USE it even so, and will use it in the way most likely to adhere to company policy. To understand this may teach you relatively little about how a subordinating conjunction works, but it will teach you much about how company management works, and that is also well worth knowing.

Answer 2

If this were true we would never use a subjunctive, or hypothetical sentences, this is just a oversimplification that technical people tend to use in business language, thinking that it would make easier to understand.