Design for safety implementation among design professionals in construction: The context of Palestine

et al. 2022

IJBPA

Self Cite

PurposeDesign for safety (DfS), also known as prevention through design (PtD), is a concept that mitigates accidents and hazards through considerations during the design stage of building projects. The literature provides much information on this concept, but such information is only limited to a few developed countries such as the UK, the USA and Australia. There is limited insight into DfS implementation in the construction industry of several countries, including countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) such as Kuwait. Therefore, this study investigates DfS implementation among design professionals in the Kuwait construction industry.Design/methodology/approachThe study used a questionnaire survey to obtain data from design professionals. The data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics (i.e. analysis of variance and t-test).FindingsThe results revealed that DfS awareness among design professionals is very high; there is a very high willingness among design professionals to apply the concept, and design professionals generally view DfS implementation as important. Despite these, the frequency of implementation of DfS practices is generally moderate. In addition, the results revealed that though there is a high interest in DfS training among the design professionals, their actual engagement in training is low. The results also suggest some association between the frequency of engagement in the DfS practices and designers' DfS awareness, training and education. DfS related regulations, industry guidance, formal education and training are considered by design professionals to have the greatest influence on DfS implementation in Kuwait.Originality/ValueThese emerging findings both mirror and contradict aspects of the outcomes of previous DfS studies in other countries. Furthermore, the findings from this study provide insights into a less investigated area regarding work-related health and safety in the GCC region. It offers new and additional information and insights into the current state-of-the-art DfS implementation in the construction industry in Kuwait. In view of the findings, joined-up efforts by government, industry and academia are needed to enhance DfS implementation by design professionals in Kuwait.

“…The questionnaire items were adopted/adapted from previous DfS studies (Manu et al, 2018(Manu et al, , 2019Abueisheh et al, 2020) to suit the context of this study.…”

Section: Design Of Survey Instrumentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Design for safety in construction: a study of design professionals in Kuwait

Sharar

Agyekum

et al. 2022

IJBPA

Self Cite

“…Consequently, Manu et al (2018Manu et al ( , 2019 call for research that will advance the understanding of the critical success factors and barriers to the implementation of PtD in DCs. Subsequent studies from Labo-Popoola et al (2019) and Abueisheh et al (2020) that address these factors provide valuable insight but from the positivist perspective. Furthermore, while these studies have contributed toward advancing and establishing the understanding of the subject in the region, the missing interpretivism and constructivism perspective has implications for gaining an in-depth understanding of PtD in DCs.…”

Section: Introduction and Rationale For The Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Second, while the current research contributes to the discourse from the qualitative research perspective, it will also adopt a multi-designer perspective as against the aforesaid studies in the area in Nigeria which mainly focused on one category of designer, Architects or Civil Engineers, with the exception of the study by Abueisheh et al (2020) which surveyed both. A qualitative inquiry into PtD in the Nigerian construction context will provide more insight and explain a lot in the extant findings of previous PtD studies in the country and other DCs.…”

Section: Introduction and Rationale For The Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

Critical barriers to prevention through design in construction in Developing Countries: a qualitative inquiry

Umeokafor

Windapo

et al. 2022

ECAM

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PurposeGiven the complexities in improving safety in the construction industry globally, which is exacerbated by the complex safety environment in developing countries (DCs), prevention through design (PtD) has been established to improve occupational safety and health (OSH) where applied. However, it has received very little attention in DCs and the extant literature with limitations. Using Nigeria as a case study, the current study advances the understanding of PtD in DCs by investigating the critical barriers to PtD and other potential OSH responsibilities of designers in the construction industry.Design/methodology/approachTwenty-eight semi-structured interviews and e-interviews of architects, builders and civil engineers in Nigeria were analysed using the six-phase thematic analysis. To improve the trustworthiness of the research, triangulation, peer-debriefing, refining the interview protocol and thick detailed description were done.FindingsThe study's findings question the extant general knowledge and understanding of PtD among clients and designers and its technical aspect among designers where it is skewed to structural safety and omitted in universities' curricula. This explains the inconclusive findings of existing studies on why there is a high level of awareness of PtD but a low level of implementation. There is little client support for PtD, and designers have limited influence on clients in terms of it. The fear of liability from PtD is exacerbated by the limited legal system and lack of adequate legislation in the country. The demotivating attitudes of clients and contractors towards designers in terms of PtD are also reported, just as there are project delivery barriers such as traditional procurement not supporting PtD as design and build procurement does.Social implicationsFor the sustainable growth in the practice of PtD, the increased and improved quality of education and awareness of PtD is needed but this must focus on instilling a robust understanding of it among designers based on the local context. This educational requirement can be supported by statute.Originality/valueThrough qualitative data, the findings explain and offer insight into the inconclusive findings in the extant studies on PtD in Nigeria. Also, it contributes to improving health and safety by advancing the understanding of the critical barriers to PtD and other potential OSH responsibilities of designers in D Nigeria's construction using qualitative data.

“…design task, OSH assessment of a design) (Behm et al, 2014;Goh and Chua, 2016;Edirisinghe et al, 2016;Manu et al, 2018), insensitive to workers' exposure to safety hazards (Sacks et al, 2015) and the lack of knowledge and understanding on the roles and responsibilities of designers in addressing the OSH issues during the design phase (Gangolells et al, 2010;Morrow et al, 2015). The lack of prevention-based education at the tertiary level often leads to inadequacy in embracing the knowledge of the concept (Popov et al, 2013;L opez-Arquillos et al, 2015;Abueisheh et al, 2020). On the other hand, limited availability of PtD-related tools, guidelines and techniques has hindered the designers to enhance their skills to practice this concept during design (Jin et al, 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Key attributes of designers' competency for prevention through design (PtD) practices in construction: a review

Ibrahim

Belayutham

et al. 2020

ECAM

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PurposeDesigners have a key role to play in the Prevention through Design (PtD) practices in construction projects. Nonetheless, previous studies indicated that the issue of competencies to perform and sustain such practices over time is of a significant concern. This study aims to explore the key attributes of designers' competencies for PtD practices in construction.Design/methodology/approachBy using the Scopus database, a total of 86 papers related to PtD in construction published in peer-reviewed journals were reviewed and analysed using the well-established systematic literature review (SLR) methodology.FindingsThe review indicates that in order to be competent in PtD implementation, designers need to be equipped with tacit and explicit knowledge, technical and soft skills and experience related to PtD. Furthermore, the review identifies attributes of these competencies. Additionally, a framework that links key PtD elements/principles with the PtD competencies is presented.Practical implicationsThe findings would enable contribution to the industry by providing the necessary references for design organisations to improve their designers' PtD competencies and hence, be able to meet their responsibility under relevant occupational safety and health (OSH) legislative framework.Originality/valueThis study extends the PtD literature in the construction context by providing deeper insights into the conceptualisation of relationship between competent designers and PtD elements. The novelty also lies in the consolidation of PtD competency attributes for designers in construction that could act as a reference for any future developments related to PtD competency assessment for designers.