Investigating prevention through design (PtD) concept for safety in Malaysian construction industry

Abstract

The construction industry has contributed significantly to the Malaysian economy as the country continues to develop rapidly. However, the sector is also associated with high levels of danger and fatal accidents. The literature suggests that a significant number of fatal accidents in construction are related to design considerations. This research aims to analyze the safety of the Malaysian construction industry by investigating 73 out of the 473 fatal accidents that have occurred between 2016 to 2020 using data released by the Department of Occupational Safety and Health. Synthesizing the causes of accidents, it is found that about 60% of fatalities could have been avoided by taking proactive measures before starting construction. More importantly, many of these accidents were related to various design suggestions. However, the Department of Occupational Safety and Health has introduced guidelines that integrate the concept of Prevention through Design (PtD) or Design for Safety (DfS), an attempt to improve construction safety by proper design. Compared to Singapore and the UK, where Design for Safety regulations to improve construction safety are mandatory, it is observed to continuously record a higher Work Fatality Rate where design efforts are voluntary.