A hazard removed on paper never reaches a worker on a scaffold, a technician in a plant room or a person using the finished building. Once construction starts, the options narrow. Controls move from eliminating the hazard to managing it, often with procedures, equipment and supervision that have to work every time.
That is why safety in design has to be resolved before construction starts.
This is a legal duty, not a nice-to-have
Under the model WHS laws that apply in NSW, designers have duties under section 22 of the Work Health and Safety Act, and those commissioning construction work have duties to consult with the designer on how to eliminate or minimise risks arising from the design. The designer must also provide a written report on hazards specific to the design. Safe Work Australia's model Code of Practice for the safe design of structures makes the practical point directly: dealing with hazards at the design stage is usually easier and cheaper than changing things later, and it leaves more options open.
The duty covers the whole life of the structure: construction, use, maintenance, modification and demolition.
The design mistakes that cause harm
Design decisions create many of the risks that workers and building users later face. A safety in design review tests questions such as:
Working at height. Can facades, roofs and skylights be built, cleaned and maintained without unsafe access?
Plant and services. Is there safe access, clearance and a realistic way to replace equipment at the end of its life?
Construction sequence. Do the details force unsafe work, such as heavy lifts near edges or work over occupied areas?
People using the building. Are there balustrade, stair, glazing, slip or vehicle and pedestrian conflicts that could injure residents and visitors?
Failure risks. Do waterproofing, facade and interface details leave a credible path to failure that the design should close?
The register is often not the problem. Closing it out is
Plenty of projects have a safety in design register. The usual weakness is what it contains: generic hazards, no specific design response, no named owner and items still open as construction approaches. A generic list does not change the design, and it does not give the principal contractor useful information.
An independent review tests whether hazards have actually been resolved in the drawings, and identifies what remains open and who needs to act. It supports your designers' and duty holders' obligations. It does not replace them.
Safety in Design Review: price and timing
The safety in design review is part of my Design Review, along with the design, consent and coordination checks.
Introductory fee: $4,500 + GST for your first project (standard fee $7,500 + GST)
Timing: findings and registers within 5 working days of receiving your documents
Includes: a findings report and ready-to-use registers, including design risk
See what the Design Review includes
Emanuel Solomovic | Registered Architect NSW (ARB 7154)
Email: info@emanuelsolomovic.com.au
Mobile: 0433 289 251