Prevention Through Design: Building Safety into Your Workplace

Each year, 5.2 million to 7.8 million workers suffer from workplace illnesses and injuries. PtD, or prevention through design, is an effective proactive approach used to create processes, tools, and workplaces that lower hazards or remove them before they harm anyone. It prioritizes safety during planning instead of reacting to accidents after they have occurred. 

 Read on to gain deep insights into how to apply all the prevention through design principles, understand how PtD functions under OSHA guidelines, and much more. 

Read More: Construction Site Safety Checklist: OSHA Compliance Made Easy

How Prevention Through Design Builds Safety into Workplace?

Based on the US federal law, especially the OSH Act of 1970, employers must provide a workplace that is free from recognized hazards. This includes the responsibility to mitigate and anticipate all the risks via thoughtful design.  Here is how the prevention through design approach can help you create a safer workplace for all: 

Detecting Dangers Early During Planning 

Proper design for safety in workplaces starts when you identify all the hazards during the planning phase. When the safety experts, engineers and architects meet early, they can spot all the risks. This can take place before the layout choices or construction work begin. For instance, eliminating the falling hazards by picking flooring materials or making clear walkways to prevent injuries. 

Creating Tools and Equipment with Safety in Mind

Every piece of machinery, tool or equipment should contain safety features. This includes ergonomic handles, guards around the moving parts and even easy shut-off switches. When the tools need less force or an awkward posture, workers might suffer fewer injuries or fatigue. An excellent design also leads to fewer maintenance hazards. This means parts are much easier to repair, inspect and clear to reduce the risks. 

Lowering Exposure to Dangers

When it comes to prevention through design, workplaces must divide dangerous areas from safe zones. For instance, storing chemicals away from food prep or separating vehicle routes and pedestrian pathways. Apart from that, ventilation should be made to lower the risks of airborne threats. 

Using Safer Materials to Lower Risks

Workplaces should use low-volatile organic compound (VOC) finishes and paints, flame-resistant materials and non-slip flooring. This can lower the chances of accident risks. This approach will also reduce long-term health-related issues because of the less toxic compounds. These material choices can prevent hazards, such as respiratory conditions, burns, or slips. 

Designing for Improved Maintenance and Cleaning

Good equipment design and facility layout reduce risks by making maintenance and cleaning safer and easier. When access is restricted or poorly planned, workers are more likely to face injuries during upkeep. A well-designed layout provides sufficient workspace, secure fixed ladders, and properly positioned handrails and stairways that meet safety standards. According to OSHA standard 29 CFR 1910.23, ladders must have uniformly spaced steps between 10 and 14 inches, slip-resistant surfaces, and be free of structural defects.

Considering Human Factors and Ergonomics

Equipment, controls, and tools in a workplace must match human reach, size and strength. Designs that lower the force, limit the awkward posture and avoid repetitive motions also prevent injuries. Therefore, employers must provide adjustable ergonomic chairs and workstations so that workers can easily change positions. Ensure the lights are even, position the screens at an eye level and avoid glare. Offer personal protective equipment (PPE) when it's required.

How NIOSH Supports Safer Workplaces through PtD? 

NIOSH leads the US prevention through design program. NIOS develops research, educational modules, toolkits and guidance. These things show how exactly hazards can be easily designed out during construction, design and planning, before the work begins. Let's find out more about how NIOSH supports a safe workplace via PtD:

Suggested Practices for Health and Safety Programs

NIOSH suggests proactive health and safety programs. This begins with hazard anticipation during design. It includes core elements such as the inclusion of design controls, early hazard analysis, leadership engagement, and work participation in design reviews. All these things are included to prioritize the safety decisions. These practices also embed safety into the projects instead of adding it later on.

Falls Prevention Through Improved Design 

Falls have been the main cause of fatalities in many sectors. Back in 2023, out of 1,075 construction fatalities, 421 deaths took place due to falls to the lower level. OSHA promotes prevention through design through its "fall prevention campaign", which stresses designing with safety built in, such as safe walkways, roof anchors and guardrails. All these things can lower such risks greatly. 

Tools for Large and Small Employers

NIOSH publishes PtD toolkits especially for architects and design engineers. All these toolkits consist of examples, design tables, and checklists to help integrate safety into the early plans. They are also useful for large contractors and small firms. Using them during a specific project will help you avoid all expensive retrofits.

Regulatory Compliance and Incentives

Designing prevention through design lowers the retrofit expenses and regulatory citations. OSHA enforces the safety standards and also runs the consultations and national campaigns that reward all proactive employers. NIOSH also complements this with technical guidance, awards, and recognition for successful PtD projects. They get to reduce the risk and long-term compliance costs together.

Use the Hierarchy of Controls Early

NIOSH suggests applying the Hierarchy of Controls early in design. This is an approach that is also indicated by the OSHA guidelines. The first thing they do is eliminate the hazards, after that, substitute safer processes, and then add the engineering controls. It's followed by administrative controls and then, lastly, PPE. Acting early is a lot more effective than depending only on the training or PPE later.

Provide Training and Resources to Design Teams

NIOSH now offers prevention through design educational modules for architects and designers. It also promotes adding PtD into the engineering curricula. PtD education can enhance the designer's ability to identify all hazards. For case-study materials and education, using the modules from NIOSH and the PtD training resource page will be helpful.

Read More: OSHA Toolbox Talks: Everything You Need to Know About Them

How Smart Design Choices Keep People Safe at Work? 

Smart design choices can prevent accidents before they happen. Below are simple, real ways to apply prevention through design in everyday workplaces:

Use Design Reviews Before Renovation or Construction

You should schedule the safety by design reviews. You must include the safety professionals early. They will tell you where exactly people might fall and where a chemical exposure could take place. The experts will also tell you where the lighting might be poor or the visibility will be low. You should review everything before things are changed or constructed. 

Involve Workers in Design Decisions

Workers see risks every day. Their input indicates unseen dangers. Involving them means all designs will be more practical. Include those workers who will use tools, can operate machines, or clean up spaces. Their feedback will make designs much safer.

Plan for Emergency Access and Escape

Design the emergency escape routes early in the project. You should place them so they are never obstructed and are always visible. Under 29 CFR 1910.36(b)(1), most workplaces must have at least two exit routes. In certain situations, some workplaces might need more than two exits if the hazards, layout or size demand it. Make sure the exits are wide enough and lead directly to a safe location or outside. Include suppression systems and fire alarms in your design, not as later add-ons. This ensures they function effectively when needed.

Integrate Technology for Safety Monitoring

Use the motion detectors, alarms, and sensors. Allow technology to reveal all hazards (such as excessive heat, gas leaks). Automated lockouts or shut-offs can help save lives. The monitoring systems can identify issues before they become much worse.

Choose Flexible Designs for Change

Workplaces constantly change, as teams shift, working styles evolve, and production needs fluctuate. Flexible designs, such as adaptable lighting, movable partitions, and equipment layouts, can help in accommodating all these shifts. This specific flexibility boosts efficiency, cuts costs and saves time. 

Train for Design Awareness

Even the best design won’t work if people don’t know how to use it. Workers and managers need training on how safety features work and why they matter. This ensures design choices truly protect everyone.

Read More: 5 Types of Physical Hazards and How to Prevent Them

Design Safety First, Save Lives Last!

When safety is designed into workplaces, many risks can be removed before they appear. A safe design lowers accidents, makes work smoother and also avoids illnesses. Workers will feel valued when their safety is a top priority. Apart from that, the employers, too, will benefit from fewer delays and less turnover. The PtD, or prevention through design, is not additional work. It's viewed as smart planning. It can save funds, create culture and lower stress. It will enable people to do their best without fear. 

If you wish to strengthen your safety knowledge, enroll in an accredited course for Introduction to OSHA. Taking such programs guarantees you're prepared to build secure workplaces and protect the team!

References:

• https://www.osha.gov/stop-falls-stand-down 

• https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/OSHA_2023_Work-Related_Injury_and_Illness_Summary.pdf 

• https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/ptd/about/index.html