1. Prevention through design: Promising or Perilous?
American Bar Association’s
Forum on Construction Law’s “Hot Topic”
November 3, 2015
T. Michael Toole, PhD, PE, F. ASCE
Assoc. Dean of Engineering and Professor, Civil and Env. Engineering
Bucknell University
Based on past presentations with
John Gambatese, PhD, PE
Professor, Civil and Construction Engineering, Oregon State University
Design and construction is evolving, with new types of contracts requiring new types of entities following new processes. Such changes may be motivated by reasonable project goals but bring unanticipated risks. The increased focus on construction site safety and the increased recognition of integrated design and construction has led to an innovative safety management technique called Prevention through Design (also known as Design for Construction Safety and Safety by Design). Prevention through Design (PtD) calls for design professionals to explicitly consider the safety of construction (and sometimes maintenance) workers during the design process. This process has been required in Europe for nearly a decade and is now being adopted within the U.S. by large, safety-conscious owners. Is PtD an effective application of social sustainability principles that will diffuse through the U.S. construction industry, or is PtD a dangerous innovation that should be resisted by risk management professionals until critical issues are resolved? A proponent of PtD will summarize and provide examples of the concept and answer questions about the recognized and unrecognized challenges to this emerging safety management method.

2. Overview Concept Motivation Examples Leaders and Processes
Prevention through Design
= Design for Safety
= Safety by Design
Concept
Motivation
Examples
Leaders and Processes
Potential Barriers and Solutions
Processes
Tools and equipment
Products
Work methods and organization of work
Work premises and facilities

3. Prevention through Design (PtD)
“Addressing occupational safety and health needs in the design process to prevent or minimize the work- related hazards and risks associated with the construction, manufacture, use, maintenance, and disposal of facilities, materials, and equipment.” (

4. PtD in Construction is…
Explicitly considering construction safety in the design of a project.
Being conscious of and valuing the safety of construction workers when performing design tasks.
Making design decisions based in part on a design element's inherent safety risk to construction workers.
“Safety Constructability”

5. Why PtD? Annual Construction Accidents in U.S.
Nearly 200,000 serious injuries
Nearly 900 deaths

6. Why PTD? Design-safety links
22% of 226 injuries that occurred from in Oregon, WA, and CA1
42% of 224 fatalities in US between
60% of fatal accidents resulted in part from decisions made before site work began2
63% of all fatalities and injuries could be attributed to design decisions or lack of planning3
1 Behm, M., “Linking Construction Fatalities to the Design for Construction Safety Concept” (2005)
2 European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions
3 NSW WorkCover, CHAIR Safety in Design Tool, 2001

7. Why PTD? Professional Ethics
National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) Code of Ethics:
Engineers shall hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public.
American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Code of Ethics:
Engineers shall recognize that the lives, safety, health and welfare of the general public are dependent upon engineering decisions ….

8. Why Ptd? Sustainability

9. Ptd’s tie to sustainability
Definition of Sustainable Development in Brundtland Commission Report (1987)
Focus on people as much as on the environment
Meet the needs of people who can’t speak for themselves

10. Corporate Social Responsibilities
“Commitment by business to behave ethically and contribute to economic development;
“Improve quality of life of the local community and society at large.”
“Improve quality of life of the workforce and their families;
Source: World Business Council for Sustainable Development

11. Ptd and Social sustainability/Equity
Do not our duties include minimizing all risks that we have control over?
Do not we have the same duties for construction, maintenance, line workers as for the “public”?
Is it ethical to create designs that are not as safe as they could (practically) be?

12. Design has major leverage
The Right thing to do and…
The Smart thing to do

13. Why Ptd? Bang for the buck
Ability to influence safety is greatest early in the project schedule during planning and design (Szymberski, 1997)

14. Administrative Controls
Hierarchy of Controls
PtD
Elimination
Eliminate the hazard during design
Higher
Substitution
Substitute a less-hazardous material or form during design
Engineering Controls
“Design-in” engineering controls,
Incorporate warning systems
Reliability of Control
Administrative Controls
Well-designed work
methods & organization
PPE
Available, effective,
easy to use
Lower

15. Why ptd? Tangible benefits
Reduced site hazards
Fewer worker injuries and fatalities
Reduced workers’ compensation premiums
Increased productivity and quality
Fewer delays due to accidents
Improved operations and maintenance safety

16. Work methods and organization of work Work premises and facilities
Overview
Concept
Motivation
Examples
Leaders and Processes
Potential Barriers and Solutions
Processes
Tools and equipment
Products
Work methods and organization of work
Work premises and facilities

17. Example of the Need for PTD
Design spec:
Dig groundwater monitoring wells at various locations.
Wells located directly under overhead power lines.
Accident:
Worker electrocuted when his drill rig got too close to overhead power lines.
Engineer could have:
specified wells be dug away from power lines; and/or
better informed the contractor of hazard posed by wells’ proximity to powerlines through the plans, specifications, and bid documents.

18. PTD Example: Anchorage Points

19. PTD Example: Roofs and Perimeters
Parapet walls
Skylights
Upper story windows

20. PTD Example: Prefabrication
Concrete Wall Panels
Concrete Segmented Bridge
Steel Stairs

21. PTD Example: Structural Steel Design
Detailing Guide for the Enhancement of Erection Safety
Published by the National Institute for Steel Detailing and the Steel Erectors Association of America

22. The Erector Friendly Column
Include holes in columns at 21” and 42” for guardrail cables and at higher locations for fall protection tie-offs
Locate column splices and connections at reasonable heights above floor
Photo: AISC educator ppt

23. Provide enough space for making connections

24. Work methods and organization of work Work premises and facilities
Overview
Concept
Motivation
Examples
Leaders and Processes
Potential Barriers and Solutions
Processes
Tools and equipment
Products
Work methods and organization of work
Work premises and facilities

25. URS Corp. PtD Process

26. DfCS in Practice: Owners
USACE
Southern Co.
BHP Billiton

27. USACE FACILITY SYSTEMS SAFETY
To incorporate systems safety engineering and management practices into a facility life cycle process used in the conceptual phase, planning stages, construction of facilities, and facility reduction (demolition).

28. FACILITY SYSTEMS SAFETY
PATH FORWARD
FY 2004
Present FY
FY 2012
FASS Budget Established
FASS Training SOH/Designers
FASS #2 Goal for USACE
Create FASS Program Manual
FY 2015
FY 2014
FY 2013
FY 2013
Create a Second FASS Pilot Program
Create a FASS Pilot Program at one Districts
Review Design Draws with FASS
Create FASS Procedures (QMS)
FY 2015
FY 2015
FY 2016
FY 2016/2017
Review Progress with FASS Pilot Programs
FASS Mandatory Training to all Employees
Implement a FASS Contract to conduct reviews
Implement FASS Across USACE

29. Southern Co.’s Design checklists

30. BHP BILLITON’S PtD INITIATIVES
PtD staff embedded in procurement and design
Communication and training
PtD in technical specifications
Design reviews includes 3D models

31. PtD Embedded in processes

32. PtD tools 1) PtD online training 2) PtD flashcards
The PtD Program was executed in a staged approach, starting with the roll-out of training modules for the engineering design teams participating in the project. A third-party training firm was contracted to develop three modules that would explain the fundamental concepts of PtD and engage trainees with interactive examples. Over 700 design engineers, and vendors have been trained to date
Developed the PtD Flashcard to act as a memory aid: While the initial training course proved effective in teaching designers the fundamentals of PtD, the principle concepts were often forgotten over time. A flashcard was devised and distributed as a quick reference guide for the Hierarchy of Controls and common risk mitigation techniques

33. PtD tools, Continued 3) PtD posters
Increased PtD program exposure: numerous posters and slide presentations were developed and distributed to promote active involvement with the PtD program.

34. ELIMINATE Hazards

35. National Initiatives and Activities
NIOSH
PtD National Initiative
PtD Workshops: July 2007 and August 2011
NORA Construction Sector Council CHPtD Workgroup
OSHA Construction Alliance Roundtable
ANSI/ASSE PtD Standard (Z )
ANSI PtD Workgroup/White Paper

36. USGBC LEED PtD Pilot Initiative

37. Overview Potential Barriers and Solutions Concept Motivation Examples
Prevention through Design
= Design for Safety
= Safety by Design
Concept
Motivation
Examples
Leaders and Processes
Potential Barriers and Solutions
Processes
Tools and equipment
Products
Work methods and organization of work
Work premises and facilities

38. Potential Barriers to PtD
Designer’s lack of safety expertise
Increased design fees
Designer’s fear of liability

39. Barrier: Designers' Lack of Safety Expertise
Barrier: Few design professionals possess sufficient expertise in construction safety.
Potential solutions:
Involve construction professionals in design review.
Develop and distribute PtD tools.
Add safety to design professionals’ curricula.
Develop training modules for design professionals.

40. Barrier: Increased Design Costs
Barrier: PtD processes will increase both direct and overhead costs for designers.
Potential solution:
Educate owners that total project costs and total project life cycle costs will decrease.

41. Barrier: Designers' Fear of Liability
Barrier: Fear of undeserved liability for worker safety.
Potential solutions:
Communicate designers should not be held responsible for construction accidents.
Develop revised model contract language.
Work with insurance carriers and attorneys.
Start with lowest level of PtD activity.

42. Levels of PtD implementation
Level 1: Invisible PtD Process
PtD not mentioned during AE selection.
AE considers safety constructability input during design progress reviews.
Level 2: Added PtD Process
PtD not addressed in RFP proposal documents but AE verbally agrees to participate in a PtD process if appropriate disclaimer included in contract.
AE sends designers to PtD training given by owner or CM.
AE is given PtD design tools by owner or CM and uses them.
AE considers safety constructability input during design reviews.

43. Levels of PtD implementation, Cont.
Level 3: Most Embedded PtD Process
AE PtD capability explicitly included in AE section.
AE has internal PtD training program.
AE chooses and uses PtD tools.
AE has internal safety design reviews.
Safety constructability input from Owner and Contractor incorporated into design.
AE actively solicits feedback on safety of final design and uses lessons learned system.

44. Summary Barriers to PtD include fear of litigation
PtD is design safety constructability
PtD offers cost, time and quality benefits
PtD is tied with sustainability, CSR, ethics
PtD implemented by successful organizations

45. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST Mike Toole ttoole@bucknell.edu