The design of a building or structure affects everyone’s safety, from those who construct it to those who work in it, maintain it and eventually demolish it.

Now there’s a guide to help ensure a good design will safeguard WORKERS FROM START TO FlNISH.

Safe design of buildings and structures takes a risk management approach to design, following the basic steps of hazard identification, risk assessment, and risk elimination or control. It recognises that many people have a role to play in design, ranging from architects to clients, constructors and end users. Consultation is, therefore, key to reducing risks throughout the building’s life cycle (see below).

Initial construction

Fit out and installation

Use and occupation

Maintenance and repair

Renovation OR MODIlCATION

Demolition

The guide outlines the principles of safe design, but goes beyond that to give concrete, practical advice on how to achieve it.

- consultation workshops, how to report, and how to incorporate safety requirements into contracts and procurement.

- identifying and addressing issues at the planning stage.

- design considerations, covering everything from excavation to violence and crime.

- process, giving designers a clear map of what to do and when in order to ensure their design is a safe one.

The benefits of safe design are twofold. It reduces the risk of injury and illness for workers, but it also reduces the potential costs associated with an unsafe design. Retrofitting, production downtime, higher insurance premiums, environmental clean-up costs and possible litigation are all persuasive reasons to get the design right from the outset.

To download your copy of the guide

Safe design of buildings and structures

(Catalogue no. WC02088), visit workcover.nsw.gov.au or to order your copy contact the Publications Hotline on 1300 799 003. For more information on how to build safe design into your project, call 13 10 50.

{Source WorkCover News Issue 79)
Download the full edition here: Workecover news edition 79