Moving Risk Assessment Upstream to the Design Phase

Workshop Presentation
Georgi Popov  

For occupational fatalities and serious incidents (FSI) to be effectively and consistently reduced, safety must be designed into workplace facilities, systems, and methods. Risk avoidance and elimination, the most effective risk treatment options, are generally only possible by design and redesign efforts. A clear link exists between workplace fatalities and unsafe or error-prone designs. Patterns of interactions between system elements - humans, tools, machinery, software, materials, procedures, and environment – characterize ‘human work’. Such work is generally performed to achieve a purpose within system elements, conditions, and environment, over a period of time. Most interactions are intentional and non-consequential; however, some things do not always go as planned or intended. Therefore, present hazards and risks must be designed out of the systems. This concept is known as Prevention through Design (PtD). The ANSI/ASSP Z590.3-2011 Prevention through Design – Guidelines for Addressing Occupational Hazards and Risks in Design and Redesign Processes standard was the first U.S. standard to address the need for incorporating safety into design and redesign phase. A key element of ANSI Z590.3 is that it provides guidance for ‘life cycle’ risk assessments and a design model that balances sustainability, architectural principles, environmental and occupational safety, and health goals over the life span of a system. The author will demonstrate a model for successful PtD implementation. A real-world case study will be presented. All participants will receive a free Excel based interactive PtD tool.