EXPANDING PREVENTION THROUGH DESIGN (PtD) IN PRACTICE: INNOVATION, CHANGE, AND A PATH FORWARD

Abstract

Prevention through Design (PtD) is an attractive occupational safety and health intervention because it complements the motivation to eliminate hazards on job sites before work commences. Implementation of PtD with respect to construction safety and health, however, is not present or widespread in some countries, and efforts continue to increase its dissemination. This paper presents findings of a research study aimed at determining the impacts of PtD on project team roles and professional practice, with the objective of identifying a path forward for further diffusion of PtD in the United States (US) construction industry. The researchers conducted fourteen structured focus group interviews of six different professional communities in the United Kingdom (UK), where PtD is integrated in practice through regulation. Widespread and sustained implementation of PtD in practice reveals changes in attitudes towards worker safety, especially with regard to who can have a positive impact and should play a role, as well as improved communication, team integration, knowledge transfer, and design innovation. The findings point to a path forward for expanding PtD in the construction community that includes four essential attributes: knowledge, desire (motivation), ability, and execution. Each attribute addresses a fundamental need for effecting positive change and enabling successful PtD diffusion to take place.