Chapter heading 1

RECOMMENDATION 29 The model Act should provide for separate duties of care owed by specific classes of persons undertaking activities, as noted in recommendation 30, in relation to plant, substances or structures intended for use at work.

Safe Design

70. 
    A national analysis of work related fatalities was undertaken by the Epidemiology Unit of NOHSC in 2000. That analysis identified in circumstances relating to plant and equipment, some 52 per cent of incidents leading to fatalities (117 out of 225) in Australia, a contributing factor was a design problem. In a further 46 fatalities one or more design problems were identified as contributing factors. Various reports were commissioned by NOHSC.²⁰³
    
71. 
    The National OHS Strategy identifies safe design as one of the five national priority areas. The Strategy includes a commitment, expressed as:
    

“To eliminate hazards at the design stage.”

72. 
    In 2006, the ASCC issued Guidance on the Principles of Safe Design for Work.²⁰⁴ In developing our recommendations, we have considered each of the principles identified in this document, being: ²⁰⁵
    

Principle 1:

Persons with Control – persons who make decisions affecting the design of products, facilities and processes are able to promote health and safety at the source.

Principle 2:

Product Lifecycle – safe design applies to every stage in the lifecycle from conception through to disposal. It involves eliminating hazards or minimising risks as early in the lifecycle as possible.

Principle 3:

Systematic Risk Management – the application of hazard identification, risk assessment and risk control processes to achieve safe design.

Principle 4:

Safe Design Knowledge and Capability – should be either demonstrated or acquired by persons with control over design.

Principle 5:

Information Transfer – effective communication and documentation of design and risk control information between all persons involved in the phases of the lifecycle is essential for the safe design approach.”