Two weeks ago I attended a course entitled Designing for Safety run by Engineers Ireland. Because we often perform the role of PSDP on construction projects, this course was of particular interest. It turned out to be an excellent review of best practice in the integration of safety considerations into the design process. The key point here is “integration”. If the design process is set up to incorporate safety and risk assessment as a routine part of the process, then the result is a much more effective application of the principles of prevention, reduced construction hazards and better risk management during the project.
Effective Project Management should imply best practice risk assessment and safety management. With the right approach, these objectives are not difficult to achieve and should be less costly and more effective than the alternative reactionary approach, which always increases the risk of a costly incident or occurrence.