Prevention through design hazards

ANSI and ASSE. 2011. Prevention Through Design Guidelines for Addressing Occupational Hazards and Risks in Design and Redesign Processes. ANSI/ASSE Z590.3-2011. Des Plaines, lU. 

Although the prevention through design standard applies to occupational hazards and risks, the previously given definitions of acceptable risk and ALARP apply to all hazards-related exposures (fire protection, transportation safety, environmental safety, etc.). 

Since it is well established that the most effective and economic method of achieving and maintaining acceptable risk levels it to address hazards and risks in the design and redesign processes, prevention through design must be given prominence in a systemic causation model. 

Figure 18.1 depicts the theoretical idea. Prevention through Design is moved upstream in the design process. The intent is to have all hazards and risks dealt with in the Conceptual and Design steps. However, that requires unattainable perfection from the people involved. Hazards and risks will be identified in the Build and Operation and Maintenance steps for which Redesign is necessary in a retrofitting process. 

Prevention through Design. Addressing occupational safety and health needs in the design and redesign process to prevent or minimize the work-related hazards and risks, associated with the construction, manufacture, use, maintenance, retrofitting, and disposal of facilities, processes, materials, and equipment. (P13)... 

In ANSI/ASSE Z590.3—2011, the Prevention through Design standard, Addendum G comments on only eight hazard analysis and risk assessment techniques, intentionally. They are Preliminary Hazard Analysis, What-If Analysis, Checklist Analysis, What-If Checklist Analysis, Hazard and Operability Analysis, Failure Mode and Effects Analysis, Fault Tree Analysis, and Management Oversight and Risk Tree (MORT). It was also said in Z590.3 that ... 

Section 7 in ANSI/ASSE Z590.3 is devoted to the hazard analysis and risk assessment process. It is the core of the Prevention through Design standard. The following process outline is a recent work, having been approved by the American National Standards Institute on September 1,2011. In the standard, the narrative for each subject is extensive and is recommended reading. 

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