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Statistics on safe design

The evidence presented below implies that by eliminating OHS hazards during the design process, safer workplaces will result and there will be a reduction in the incidence of occupational disease, injury and fatality and the associated costs. The Safe Design approach generates an outcome with less OHS risk. Adopting this approach will improve occupational health and safety outcomes in Australia.

FIXED PLANT AND EQUIPMENT [1]

• Fatalities involving the use of fixed plant and equipment showed that there were 233 deaths in 225 incidents involving machinery or fixed plant.
• Of the 225 incidents, 117 (52%) had at least one design factor contributing to the fatal outcome.
• Design factors relating to guarding were the most common single design problem identified followed by the design of controls.

HYDRAULIC EQUIPMENT [2]

• Fatalities involving the use of hydraulic equipment identified 46 workplace deaths with 61 instances of design problems with the equipment.
• Inadequate safety devices accounted for 42% of the design problems, such as no descent control device, no interlock device or guarding, no cut-off switch, and incomplete roll over protection.
  

CONSTRUCTION

National Perspective

• Coronial recommendations were made in 18% of the 256 work-related fatalities in the construction industry in Australia.[3] Examples of coroner’s recommendations related to design include:

• “Ensure that designers involved in a construction project take into account safety aspects”,
• “Scientific testing and proper load computations must be part of a design program in order to determine maximum loads for equipment”,
• “all earth moving plan should be fitted with a rollover protective structure (ROPS) and a falling object protective structure”,
• “ladders used in the construction industry should be manufactured from non-conductive materials, including the reinforcing braces of the equipment”.

International Perspective

• It has been claimed that over half of all accidents in Europe (63%) and most of structural damage and defects (80%) in construction can be attributed to decisions made even before the work begins[4].

• UK research indicates that 36% of deaths in the Construction and Building industry could be traced back to a design factor.

Safe Design Resources

Website Update - Information on the NOHSC website relating to Safe Design is currently being reviewed and restructured. Please send any comments to safedesign@nohsc.gov.au

 

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[1]	Work Related Fatalities Associated with Design Issues of Machinery of Fixed Plant in Australia 1989 to 1992, prepared by the Epidemiology Unit of NOHSC September, 2000

[2]	Work Related Fatalities Associated with Design Issues of Machinery of Fixed Plant in Australia 1989 to 1992, prepared by the Epidemiology Unit of NOHSC September, 2000.

[3]	NOHSC 1999 Work-related traumatic fatalities involving construction activities in Australia, 1989 to 1992.

[4]	Commission of the European Communities 1993, Safety and Health in the Construction Sector, Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, Luxembourg