Exploring the knowledge of Prevention through Design (PtD) among Malaysian civil & structural designers

Abstract

Devastating accidents in construction projects have elevated interests on providing early attention to safety hazards in design phase. Calls for changes in safety practice, through the Prevention through Design (PtD) concept has become increasingly vocal in various countries. In Malaysia, a Guidelines of Occupational Safety And Health in Construction Industry (Management) (OSHCI(M)), which stems from the PtD concept was launched to provide guidance for designers to enhance their PtD capability. This paper aims to explore the current PtD knowledge among C&S designers, in order to gauge the initial understanding towards OSHCI(M) implementation. Data were collected from 70 C&S designers in Malaysia through questionnaire survey and discussion conducted from four series of PtD workshops. The findings revealed that despite the current state of C&S designer’s knowledge still needs to be improved, majority of them have been very positive and supportive on the OSHCI(M) implementation. A number of recommendations towards improving the PtD knowledge have been highlighted; PtD early education; the use of pedagogical approach in PtD teaching; continuous training and establish integrated PtD educational resources. This study extends the PtD literature in construction context, in particular into the advancements towards improving the PtD knowledge among designers in the developing countries.