Safety-in-Design Process

Specification

21 June 2023 2023

Cover photo: Road Design Workshop Neville Prior.
Safety-in-Design Process Specification

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Except for logos and photographs, this work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-
ShareAlike 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit
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Contents
1. Things you need to know .....................................................................................1
1.1 About this document .......................................................................................1
1.2 Required deliverables .....................................................................................1
1.3 Terms ..............................................................................................................1
1.4 Sub-contractors...............................................................................................1
1.5 Supplied information .......................................................................................1
1.6 References......................................................................................................2
1.6.1 Reference documents ..........................................................................................................2
1.6.2 Access to reference documents...........................................................................................2

2. Overview of safety in design ................................................................................3

2.1 Considerations ................................................................................................3
2.2 Benefits of safe design ....................................................................................3
2.3 Safety incident causation ................................................................................4
2.4 Focus on design..............................................................................................4

3. Duties of designers ...............................................................................................5

3.1 Summary of duties ..........................................................................................5
3.2 Legislative reference documents ....................................................................5
3.3 Compliance with codes, standards and regulations ........................................5
3.4 Obligations ......................................................................................................5
3.5 Duties not transferable ....................................................................................6
3.6 Project size to which the legislation applies ....................................................6
3.7 Information in writing .......................................................................................6

4. Risk assessment ...................................................................................................7

4.1 Risk matrix ......................................................................................................7
4.2 Treatment of risk .............................................................................................7
4.3 Injury indicators ...............................................................................................8

5. Safety controls ......................................................................................................9

5.1 Hierarchy of controls .......................................................................................9
5.2 Control effectiveness .................................................................................... 10

6. Safety in Design process .................................................................................... 11

6.1 Role of the Issues Log .................................................................................. 11
6.2 Process steps ............................................................................................... 11
6.2.1 Design commencement .................................................................................................... 11
6.2.2 Concept design and design development stage ............................................................... 11

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 6.2.3 Safety-in-Design Workshop input to Safety Report .......................................................... 11
6.2.4 Completing the Safety Report ........................................................................................... 11
6.3 Safety Reports .............................................................................................. 12
6.3.1 Safety Report format ......................................................................................................... 12
6.3.2 Acronyms .......................................................................................................................... 12

7. Safety-in-Design workshop ................................................................................ 13

7.1 Warrant for Safety-in-Design workshop ........................................................ 13
7.2 When a Safety-in-Design Workshop is required ........................................... 13
7.3 Focus on questions not answers................................................................... 13
7.4 Workshop process ........................................................................................ 14
7.5 Solutions ....................................................................................................... 14
7.6 Guidewords ................................................................................................... 14
7.7 Use of guidewords ........................................................................................ 15
7.8 Workshop process ........................................................................................ 15
7.8.1 Personnel .......................................................................................................................... 15
7.8.2 Facilitator ........................................................................................................................... 15
7.8.3 Note taker.......................................................................................................................... 15
7.8.4 Materials for Safety-in-Design Workshop ......................................................................... 15
7.8.5 Participants ....................................................................................................................... 15
7.9 Deliverables expected from the workshop facilitator ..................................... 16
7.10 Provision of note taker .................................................................................. 16
7.11 Assistance provided ...................................................................................... 16
7.12 Safety-in-Design Workshop records ............................................................. 17

8. Reporting ............................................................................................................. 19
8.1 Safety Report ................................................................................................ 19
8.2 Limitation on hazards to be included in Safety Report .................................. 19
8.3 Safety-in-Design Workshop input to Safety Report ....................................... 19
8.4 Purpose of Safety Report .............................................................................. 19

9. Quality assurance ............................................................................................... 20

9.1 Key performance indicators .......................................................................... 20
9.2 Non-transference of responsibility for quality ................................................ 20
9.3 Non-conformance of deliverables ................................................................. 20
9.3.1 Definition of non-conformance .......................................................................................... 20
9.3.2 The significance of a non-conformance ............................................................................ 20
9.3.3 Identification of non-conformances ................................................................................... 20
9.3.4 Non-conformance severity ................................................................................................ 21
9.3.5 Response to non-conformance ......................................................................................... 21
9.4 Audit .............................................................................................................. 21

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Appendix A – Safety in Design Guidewords ...............................................................1

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1. Things you need to know
1.1 About this document
This Safety-in-Design Process Specification describes the legislative requirements for
safe design and information transfer and details how a Safety-in-Design Workshop is to
be structured.

1.2 Required deliverables

Deliverables are listed in the Table of Deliverables. The requirements for deliverables
are described in the Scope-of-Work and the specifications.
The deliverables in specifications apply only if required by the Request-for-Quote,
Table-of-Deliverables or contract documents.
Non-conformance with specified deliverable requirements will have a response as
detailed in Section 9.

1.3 Terms
You, your means the consultant or contractor engaged to do the work.
We, our, us, client means the Principal of the contract engaging the consultant or
contractor.
Consultant is a person or company that provides expert technical advice, services,
designs and documents.
Contractor is a person or company that undertakes a contract to provide materials or
labour to perform a service or do a job.
The requirements for a consultant apply to a contractor. The requirements for a
contractor apply to a consultant.
Must is a mandatory requirement.

1.4 Sub-contractors
Sub-contractors must be declared in the quote. The sub-contractors nominated in the
quote must not be changed without written approval from us.
If sub-contractors are used, you are responsible for selection, engagement, payment
and quality management of the sub-contracted work.
We will not separately pay sub-contractors.
Sub-contractors must hold insurance that meets the requirements of the principal
contract.

1.5 Supplied information

We will provide the information listed in the Request-for-Quote.

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1.6 References
1.6.1 Reference documents
References that may need to be consulted during the work are shown in the section
defining the work.
For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references the latest
edition available on the internet (including any amendments) applies.

1.6.2 Access to reference documents

It is your responsibility to access and obtain reference documents other than those
supplied by us.
A copy of legislative and regulation requirements are available through an internet
search.
You are not entitled to claim for costs or lodge a variation associated with accessing
and obtaining reference documents.

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2. Overview of safety in design
2.1 Considerations
Consideration of potential hazards to safety should consider:
a) Demolition of existing structures.
b) Civil and ground works including site layout.
c) Construction of structure.
d) Use for the purpose for which the structure is designed.
e) Maintenance, cleaning, and repair of the structure.
f) Demolition at end of life.

2.2 Benefits of safe design

Early consideration of potential hazards during the design process can:
a) Prevent injury or illness.
b) Ensure safer workplaces for workers and users of structures.
c) Improve the functionality and productivity of the designed workplace through
innovation and creativity.
d) Reduce costs through improvement of work processes.
e) Reduce accidents and potential litigation.
f) Eliminate the cost of retrofitting for safety (it is cheaper to change a drawing than
to make expensive changes to a completed structure).

Figure 1 Benefits of safe design

1 Safe Design Australia https://www.safedesignaustralia.com.au/safe-design/ accessed 11 April 2022.

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2.3 Safety incident causation
Safety incidents require the alignment of several enablers, known as the Swiss Cheese
Model.
The Swiss cheese model likens human systems to multiple slices of Swiss cheese,
stacked side by side. The risk of a threat becoming a reality is mitigated by defences
that are "layered" behind each other. In theory, an incident happens when weaknesses
in the defences align.
The Safety-in-Design process is focused on eliminating weaknesses in safety
defences.

Image: Davidmack

Figure 2 Swiss cheese model

2.4 Focus on design

Research indicates that design is a major contributor to fatalities, diseases and injuries
to construction workers, maintenance workers, end users and the public 2. Designers
are considered “upstream duty holders” and their decisions can affect the health and
safety of people who use their designs.
Early consideration of safety at the design stage is an effective way of eliminating or
reducing hazards and risks.

2P. Breslin, Improving OHS standards in the building and construction industry through safe design, February
2007Journal of Occupational Health and Safety - Australia and New Zealand 23(1):89-99.

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3. Duties of designers
3.1 Summary of duties
Designers have legislated obligations to ensure their design is safe for constructors,
users, and demolishers. The legislation also imposes reporting requirements.
Designers and the client are required to:
a) Consider safety throughout the project lifecycle.
b) Consult with designers, the principal contractor and other duty holders.
c) Consider people in the vicinity of the project.
d) Produce a Safety Report for the constructor and other stakeholders.
e) Provide safe design information to anyone issued with the design.

3.2 Legislative reference documents

Designer’s obligations for information transfer are defined in:
a) Work Health and Safety Act.
b) Work Health and Safety Regulation.
c) SafeWork NSW, Safe Design of Structures, Code of Practice.

3.3 Compliance with codes, standards and regulations

You must comply with all design and drawing codes, standards and regulation
requirements, whether or not described in this specification.
The Safe Design of Structures Code of Practice is an approved Code of Practice that
has standing under the Work Health and Safety Act Section 275 and can be used in
any proceedings for offences against Act.

3.4 Obligations
Designers must ensure their design is as safe as is reasonably practicable.
Reasonably practical safety is defined as complying with standards.
The Work Health and Safety Act Section 22(2) requires that a person who designs a
structure and the person who commissions a structure that will be used as a workplace
must ensure that the works are without risks to health and safety so far as is
reasonably practicable. The Safe Design of Structures Code of Practice defines
reasonably practical as weighing up:
a) The likelihood of the hazard or the risk occurring.
b) The degree of harm that might result from the hazard or the risk.
c) Knowledge about the hazard or risk, and ways of eliminating or minimising the
risk.
d) The availability and suitability of ways to eliminate or minimise the risk.
e) After assessing the extent of the risk and the available ways of eliminating or
minimising the risk, the cost associated with eliminating or minimising the risk,
including whether the cost is grossly disproportionate to the risk.

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 Drawings, Design Reports and Safety-in-Design Reports are the means by which
designers fulfil their information transfer obligations under the Safe Design of
Structures Code of Practice and Section 22(4) and 22(5) of the Work Health and Safety
Act and their consultation obligations under Section 46 of the Work Health and Safety
Act.
Under Section 22(4) of the Work Health and Safety Act, Designers must give adequate
information to each person who is provided with the design in order to give effect to it
concerning:
a) The purpose for which the structure was designed.
b) The results of any calculations, testing, analysis or examination.
c) Any conditions necessary to ensure that the structure is without risks when used
for a purpose for which it was designed or when carrying out any activity related
to the structure such as construction, maintenance and demolition.

3.5 Duties not transferable

A designer’s Duty-of-Care cannot be transferred to another person or organisation. The
Work Health and Safety Act 2011 Section 14 states: ‘A duty cannot be transferred to
another person’. Section 272 states:
‘A term of any agreement or contract that purports to exclude, limit or modify the
operation of this Act or any duty owed under this Act or to transfer to another person
any duty under this Act is void’.

3.6 Project size to which the legislation applies

The duties under Work Health and Safety Act Section 22(2) apply to the design of all
structures that could be reasonably be expected to be used as a workplace at any
stage in their lifecycle, regardless of size or budget.

3.7 Information in writing

The Work Health and Safety Regulation 295 requires:
The designer of a structure or any part of a structure that is to be constructed must give
the person conducting a business or undertaking who commissioned the design a
written report that specifies the hazards relating to the design of the structure that, so
far as the designer is reasonably aware
(a) create a risk to the health or safety of persons who are to carry out any
construction work on the structure or part, and
(b) are associated only with the particular design and not with other designs of the
same type of structure.

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4. Risk assessment
4.1 Risk matrix
Safety issues are to be have a risk level applied using the risk matrix in Table 1.

Table 1 Risk Matrix

**Probability Risk level score

Likelihood  = Low,  = Extreme
*Severity of consequence
Inconvenient

Irreversible

irreversible
Extended
Serious
Severe
Slight

Acute
Property Slight Casualty Acute Serious Single Multiple
damage injury crash injury crash injury crash injury crash fatality fatality
crash cost cost cost cost cost crash cost crash cost
$9,257 $22,992 $59,100 $180,000 $629,484 $2,463,432 $8,000,000
Fatality Fatality Fatality Fatality Fatality Fatality Fatality
equivalent equivalent equivalent equivalent equivalent equivalent equivalent
0.004 0.009 0.024 0.073 0.256 1.000 3.248

100% Almost
1 risk event per year Certain       
45%
1 risk event in 2 years
Credible       
20%
1 risk event in 5 years
Possible       
10%
1 risk event in 10 years
Perhaps       
4.5%
1 risk event in 20 years
Infrequent       
2%
1 risk event in 50 years
Rare       
* Severity of consequence is an exponential relationship y=2314.6e1.1428x
** Part of a power series (1.10)2n
Matrix attribution Neville Prior
Fatality equivalent methodology attribution Karin Nilsson

4.2 Treatment of risk

Risks identified in Table 1 are to be treated using the safety controls identified in
Section 5.

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4.3 Injury indicators
Injury indicators described in the Risk Matrix are illustrated in the Figure 3 training
mock-ups.
Casualty injury Acute injury

Figure 3 Injury indicators

Image: Victoria Ambulance Service

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5. Safety controls
5.1 Hierarchy of controls
The hierarchy of safety controls is shown in Figure 4.

Figure 4 Hierarchy of control

The controls perceived to be most effective are shown at the top and moves down to
those considered least effective. The nature of infrastructure design means there are
additional controls added to the hierarchy.
Elimination – Remove the hazard.
Substitution – Replace the hazard with a less hazardous option.
Engineering controls – Isolate people from the hazard.
Administrative controls / training – Change the way people work.
Personal protective equipment – Protect the worker with Personal Protective
Equipment (PPE).
Manage in construction – Risks outside the control of designers may need to be
managed by the construction team.
As Low As Reasonably Practicable (ALARP) – some issues cannot be changed by
design and are accepted by the community.
“You can’t eliminate every hazard, but the closer you can get to the top, the closer you
can reach that ideal and make people healthier and safer.” 4

3Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, The National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety
https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/hierarchy/default.html, Accessed 11 April 2022.

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5.2 Control effectiveness
The effectiveness and effort required to implement design controls is shown in Table 2.

Table 2 Design controls

DESIGN CONTROLS

Effort to
Control Effectiveness Description achieve
safety
Remove the hazard
Elimination 100% Eg Relocating equipment to ground
Low
(preferred) Hazard removed level to eliminate hazard for
maintenance when working at heights.

Hazard substituted with something

75% of lesser risk
Substitution Moderate
Hazard reduced Eg Specifying steel posts instead of
timber to reduce the risk of splintering.

Hazard controlled through

50% engineering
Engineering
You are reducing and Moderate
controls Eg Wider corridors for plant access.
controlling the hazard

25% Communicating remaining risks,

Administrative hazard controlled by influencing
You are using soft High
controls / training people
controls which rely
on people Eg Traffic management plan, signage.

Provide persons with safety gear

5%
Personal Protective Eg Hearing protection or hard hat.
You are limiting the Major
Equipment (PPE)
damage

Management of the risk is outside

Manage in the control of design
Not defined
construction Eg the order of construction activities.

Situations where the risk is within

As Low As limits accepted by the community
Reasonably Low
Eg Historical location of intersections.
Practicable

4 Jonathan Bach, Director of The National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety Prevention through Design
Initiative.

5 Adapted from Safe Design Australia: Safe Design Report and Risk Assessment Template (SD03).

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6. Safety in Design process
6.1 Role of the Issues Log
The Issues Log that is set-up at the beginning of the project becomes a major input to
the Safety Report at the end of the project.

6.2 Process steps

6.2.1 Design commencement
The Safety-in-Design process at the commencement of the project are:
a) Confirm scope of project.
b) Collect information on design accountability, intended use, work process, site
issues.
c) Set up the Issues Log to record safety issues.

6.2.2 Concept design and design development stage

The Safety-in-Design process during concept design and design development is:
a) Use a systematic approach to identify and record hazards and risks throughout
the design process and record in the Issues Log.
b) Design to eliminate, or if that is not possible, then minimise risks so far as is
reasonably practicable, by:
• Identifying hazards that can be adequately addressed by applying
recognised standards.
• Apply a risk management process for all other hazards, including
application of the “hierarchy of controls”.
c) Consult with the client and others on possible options to eliminate or minimise
identified risks to safety.
d) Include work health and safety information on drawings and in the construction
specification.
e) Decide whether a Safety-in-Design Workshop is needed.

6.2.3 Safety-in-Design Workshop input to Safety Report

If a Safety-in-Design Workshop is convened the principal output of the workshop is an
Issues Log, which becomes the major part of the Safety Report.

6.2.4 Completing the Safety Report

The process for completing the Safety Report is:
a) Ensure all safety related issues, resolutions and risk assessments are
documented in the Issues Log.
b) Sort the Issues Log spreadsheet to group safety issues together.
g) Input the safety issues in the Issues Log into the Safety Report.

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6.3 Safety Reports
6.3.1 Safety Report format
Layout and content of the Safety Report is at the discretion of the consultant.

6.3.2 Acronyms
Do not use acronyms in reports, apart from those in common use in the community
such as NSW, or when they are in the same paragraph group adjacent to the text
spelled out in full.
Acronyms inhibit understanding. Reports are written with a word processor, not a quill
pen, so there is no modern reason to use acronyms. Excessive acronyms will be
treated as a non-conformance.

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7. Safety-in-Design workshop
7.1 Warrant for Safety-in-Design workshop
The Safe Design of Structures Code of Practice requires that the Safety Report of a
design should include information about:
a) Any hazardous materials or structural features and the designer’s assessment of
the risk of injury or illness to construction workers arising from those hazards.
b) The action the designer has taken to control those risks, for example changes to
the design.
The Safe Design of Structures Code of Practice notes that:
The safety report applies to designs of structures that have unusual or atypical
features which present hazards and risks during the construction phase that are
unique to the particular design.
It is important to note that the Safe Design of Structures Code of Practice and Work
Health and Safety Regulation 295 narrow the scope of the Safety Report from safety
issues generally to only focus on unusual or atypical features.
A Safety-in-Design workshop is used to identify the safety issues related to unusual or
atypical features of a design.

7.2 When a Safety-in-Design Workshop is required

A Safety-in-Design Workshop may be required if:
a) A Safety-in-Design Workshop is required as a deliverable in the Scope of Work,
in which case the workshop is mandatory.
b) The design is complex and the client, in consultation with the designers, decide
that a Safety-in-Design Workshop is necessary.
c) The design process has identified unusual or atypical features in the design and
the client, in consultation with the designers, decide that a Safety-in-Design
Workshop is necessary.

7.3 Focus on questions not answers

Forget about finding answers. Focus on issues and questions.
In traditional brainstorming - the kind that focuses on generating answers - individuals
perform better than groups. That’s because powerful group dynamics such as coasting
on others’ contributions and social anxiety (fears about how one’s ideas will be judged)
can hinder original thinking and stifle the voices of quiet members.
A focus on issues and questions creates a safe space for anyone to offer a different
perspective. Because a question doesn’t demand that anyone instantly assert a point
of view, people often feel more comfortable speaking up. The focus on raising issues
as questions also suspends the automatic rush to provide an answer and helps deeper
exploration.
Solutions or solution responses to others’ questions will be redirected by the convener.
Avoid preambles or justifications that frame a question because that guides listeners to
see the problem in a certain way, the very thing we are trying to avoid.

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 The Safety-in-Design workshop is to be a guided brainstorming using guidewords, to
prompt raising issues and asking questions about safety issues. Finding solutions is
excluded.
Each guide word should be considered for about four minutes. This time helps
participants stick to the “issues and questions only” rule and sustained attention places
real demands on the human brain so energy often wanes in this exercise after three
and a half minutes. As a practical matter, transcribing questions can be an onerous
task. For both those reasons, it’s better to use multiple bursts to focus on issues. 6
The methodology to be used to achieve this guideword driven brainstorming is the
Hazard and Operability (HAZOP) Study methodology.

7.4 Workshop process

The Safety-in-Design Workshop must use the principles of a Hazard and Operability
(HAZOP) Study defined in AS IEC 61882: Hazard and operability studies (HAZOP
studies) - Application guide.
A HAZOP study is also known as a WorkCover CHAIR Safety in Design Tool.
The Safety-in-Design Workshop uses the following process:
1. Assemble a workshop team of designers and stakeholders.
2. Define the objectives and the scope of the study.
3. Use a set of guideword prompts to assist a brainstorming process.
4. Use the guidewords to assist with identification of safety issues.
5. Discuss associated risks and determine if the safety risk can be eliminated.
6. Determine a risk level.
7. Use notes to document the safety issues and risk level.

7.5 Solutions
It is not the function of the Safety-in-Design Workshop to find solutions to safety issues.
The workshop report will be given to the designers who have the responsibility to find a
solution to the safety issues identified in the workshop.
The designers must apply a control method identified in Section 5.1, which may include
changing the design (elimination). The approach taken must be documented in the
Issues Log and Safety Report.

7.6 Guidewords
The Guidewords for the Safety-in-Design workshop are shown in Appendix A.
A PowerPoint file showing the guidewords will be supplied for use in the workshop.

6Adapted from Hal Gregersen, Harvard Business Review March-April 2018, https://hbr.org/2018/03/better-brainstorming,
accessed 13 April 2022.

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7.7 Use of guidewords
Guidewords are to be considered progressively through the list, one at a time, not
collectively. The facilitator must announce the guideword being considered.

7.8 Workshop process

7.8.1 Personnel
The workshop leadership team must comprise a facilitator and note taker.

7.8.2 Facilitator
The Safety-in-Design Workshop facilitator must be experienced in leading HAZOP style
risk workshops.
The facilitator should be a person who is sufficiently removed from the design process
so that they don’t take any suggestions as criticism or feel the need to defend the
design concept. The facilitator must follow the systematic HAZOP approach in
identifying and discussing potential hazards relating to the design.
The facilitator is responsible for producing the Safety-in-Design Workshop Report.

7.8.3 Note taker

It’s important to document the discussions and outcomes as the notes will form the
basis for the workshop report, which in turn will become an input to the Safety Report.
The note taker needs to be someone who understands engineering issues.
Legible hand written notes will suffice but will have to be transcribed into the Issues
Log before being sent to the facilitator.
It is preferable that the note taker is someone with engineering knowledge who can
touch type notes directly into the Issues Log.
The note taker generally does not contribute to the discussion because they should
focus on documenting the comments of workshop attendees.

7.8.4 Materials for Safety-in-Design Workshop

The designers will provide digital drawings necessary for the Safety-in-Design
workshop.
We will produce paper copies of Safety-in-Design workshop materials in sufficient
numbers to provide each attendee with a copy.

7.8.5 Participants
People that should participate in the Safety-in-Design Workshop include:
a) The designer’s Project Director and/or Project Manager and/or Design Manager.
b) The designers including civil designers and stormwater designers.
c) The client’s Project Director.
d) The client’s Project Manager.
e) Client’s Construction Manager.

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 f) Client’s Construction Project Manager.
g) Client’s Maintenance Manager.
h) Construction and maintenance supervisors.
i) Safe design consultant.

7.9 Deliverables expected from the workshop facilitator

The purpose of the engagement of a workshop facilitator is to assist in gathering
design safety information and provide input to a Safety Report that meets the
legislative requirements described in Section 3.
The deliverables and activities anticipated for the workshop facilitator include:
a) Review digital design documentation provided to you by us.
b) Meet with us to discuss the design and identify any safety issues that have
become apparent from the document review.
c) Prepare a timetable for the Safety-in-Design Workshop.
d) Prepare any electronic presentations you require for the workshop (excluding
design documentation) and transmit to us before the workshop.
e) Facilitate a Safety-in-Design Workshop involving designers and construction and
maintenance personnel, using the HAZOP methodology.
f) Produce a Safety-in-Design Workshop Report.
It is requested that the facilitator arrive at the workshop venue at least one hour before
commencement of the workshop as it is probable that problems will arise with the
computer system.

7.10 Provision of note taker

The Scope-of-Work will specify if the note taker is to be provided by us or by you.

7.11 Assistance provided

We will provide the following assistance:
a) Provide a PowerPoint presentation with the Safety-in-Design guidewords.
b) Provide an Issues Log spreadsheet.
c) Arrange invitation of participants.
d) Obtain design documentation and design safety information from the designers.
e) Transmit digital design documentation to you (because of the large size of the
documents the transfer will need to be by a large file transfer system).
f) Transmit digital design documentation to participants.
g) Provide the Project Manager to meet with you to discuss the documentation at a
location of your choosing. A paper copy of design documentation will be provided
to you at the meeting.
h) Prepare paper copies of documentation for distribution to all participants at the
workshop.

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 i) Provide a room in the Council office with a large screen and computer facilities.
j) Load digital versions of the design documentation into the Council’s computer
system so it can be displayed on the screen during the workshop.
k) Provide catering for the workshop.

7.12 Safety-in-Design Workshop records

The Safety-in-Design Workshop records shall include a table in the form of the Issues
Log. An example of the Issues Log is shown in Figure 5. A template for the Issues Log
will be supplied.

Figure 5 Issues Log example

The workshop facilitator and note taker are responsible for completing the columns
labelled:
a) Issue number.
b) Issue.
c) Type of issue.
d) Risk level.
e) Source of issue.
f) Date raised.
The designer company in consultation with the designers are responsible for
completing the columns labelled:
a) How is issue to be resolved.
b) Assigned to.
c) Status.
d) Close out comments.
e) Close out reference document.

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 f) Date completed.
g) Hierarchy of control applied.
The Council Project Manager may also assist with completion of the columns.

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8. Reporting
8.1 Safety Report
Work Health and Safety Regulation Clause 295 requires that the Designer must give
the person who commissioned the design a written report that specifies the hazards
relating to the design of the structure that create a risk to persons carrying out
construction and are associated with the project, not with other similar designs.

8.2 Limitation on hazards to be included in Safety Report

Only those hazards in the control of the designer and that are not adequately covered
by a recognised standard (Australian standard, code of practice, Austroads guide or
other guideline) need to be included in the risk assessment process.
Designers can identify the standards they apply to manage risks where possible (eg in
a reference list or list of recognised standards). Any residual risks from the design
stage to be managed by those further down the lifecycle of the structure should also be
detailed in the Safety Report.

8.3 Safety-in-Design Workshop input to Safety Report

If a Safety-in-Design Workshop is convened the report from the Safety-in-Design
Workshop becomes a major input to the Safety Report.
The Safety-in-Design Workshop report may be written by an independent facilitator
who has no part in the design, with input from the designers.

8.4 Purpose of Safety Report

The Safety Report will enable the person who commissions a project to comply with
their Work Health and Safety Regulation Clause 296 obligation to give the principal
contractor any information the person has in relation to hazards and risks where the
construction work is to be carried out.
The Safe Design of Structures Code of Practice requires that the Safety Report should
include information about:
a) Any hazardous materials or structural features and the designer’s assessment of
the risk of injury or illness to construction workers arising from those hazards.
b) The action the designer has taken to control those risks, for example changes to
the design.
The Safe Design of Structures Code of Practice notes that:
The safety report applies to designs of structures that have unusual or atypical
features which present hazards and risks during the construction phase that are
unique to the particular design.
It is important to note that the Safe Design of Structures Code of Practice and Work
Health and Safety Regulation 295 (see Section 3.7) narrow the scope of the Safety
Report from safety issues generally to only focus on unusual or atypical features. This
is taken to mean that features that are common to road construction projects are not a
central focus of the Safety Report.

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9. Quality assurance
9.1 Key performance indicators
Key performance indicators for quality assurance are the following reference
documents:
a) AS/NZS ISO 9001 Quality management systems - Requirements.
b) AS 4122-2010 General Conditions of Contract for Consultants (incorporates
Amendment 1).

9.2 Non-transference of responsibility for quality

The sign-off of a deliverable by us does not relieve you of responsibility for the validity
and arithmetical correctness of the calculations and observations.

9.3 Non-conformance of deliverables

9.3.1 Definition of non-conformance
A non-conformance is a departure from an agreed arrangement between a client and
an individual or organisation performing work. An arrangement is an agreement to
conform to:
a) A work product specification.
b) A work product standard.
c) Reporting requirements.
d) A pre-defined procedure.
e) A documented plan.
f) A standard for best practice.

9.3.2 The significance of a non-conformance

The existence of a non-conformance means that some aspect of the organisation’s
quality management system operating procedures is not being followed.

9.3.3 Identification of non-conformances

Non-conformances may be identified by:
a) An audit of the organisation’s quality management system.
b) Presentation of deliverables that:
• Do not conform to the Specification.
• Do not conform to reporting requirements.
• Do not conform to the contract schedule.
• Do not include all components specified for delivery.
• Do not conform to standards and codes.
• Do not meet expectations for comprehensive quality that are normal for the
industry.

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9.3.4 Non-conformance severity
The response to a non-conformance will depend on its severity, defined as:
a) Critical: deliverable is not provided at the specified step in the process or there is
a significant absence of conformance with designated criteria or reporting
requirements as defined by the specification, standards or commonly accepted
industry expectations. This indicates a lack of Design and Development Controls
as required by Section 8.3.4 of the quality standard AS/NZS ISO 9001 and/or
there is no documented evidence of quality review in accordance with Section
9.1.3 of quality standard AS/NZS ISO 9001.
b) Major: deliverable is provided at the specified step in the process but has
inadequate conformance with designated criteria or reporting requirements as
defined by the specification, standards or commonly accepted industry
expectations. This indicates a lack of Design and Development Controls as
required by Section 8.3.4 of the quality standard AS/NZS ISO 9001 and/or there
is a failure of quality review in accordance with Section 9.1.3 of quality standard
AS/NZS ISO 9001.
c) Minor: an isolated deviation from planned process or deliverable conformance or
quality system processes.

9.3.5 Response to non-conformance

The response to non-conformances will be in response to the Standard of Care
requirements of Section 4 of AS 4122-2010 General Conditions of Contract for
Consultants.
The response to non-conformance will depend on the severity of the non-conformance:
a) Critical: We may suspend the performance of the services in accordance with
Section 24 of AS 4122-2010 General Conditions of Contract for Consultants. We
may direct recommencement of services when you have provided documentation
showing the corrective actions taken, in accordance with Section 10.2.2 of
AS/NZS ISO 9001.
If the critical non-conformance is not corrected the services may be terminated in
accordance with the provisions of Section 27 of AS 4122-2010.
b) Major: You will be requested to provide documentation showing the corrective
actions taken, in accordance with Section 10.2.2 of AS/NZS ISO 9001.
c) Minor: An observation for improvement will be issued.

9.4 Audit
We may arrange an audit of the project quality system at any time.

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Appendix A – Safety in Design Guidewords
Safety-in-Design workshop guidewords
a) Visibility g) Movement / direction
• Curves • Flow
• Sight • Tracking / path
• Stopping • Stability
• View • Friction / slip
• Safety • Safety
b) Egress / access h) Heights / depths
• Entry / exit points • Clearance
• Movements • Bridge
• External impacts • Waterway
• Emergency access • Tunnel
• Obstructions • Working at heights
• Safety • Confined space
c) Utilities / services • Access
• Above ground • Safety
• Below ground i) Environmental impact
• Hazardous • Destruction
• Expensive • Pollution
• Safety • Waste
d) Size • Noise
• Too large • Amenity
• Too small • Safety
• Too long j) Natural hazards
• Too short • Earth slip
• Too wide • Flood
• Too narrow • Storm
• Safety • High winds
e) Complexity k) Safety interfaces
• Self-explaining • Traffic
• Unusual • Members of the public
• Difficult to interpret • Adjacent property
• Safety • Power / services
f) Position / location • External fire
• Misaligned • Day / night / weekend
• Wrong position l) Excavation
• Too far • Access
• Too low • Stockpile
• Too high • Equipment
• Safety • Volume
• Safety
m) Construction u) Cost
• Equipment v) Documentation
• Access • Operations
• Materials • Maintenance
• Safety • Inspection / testing
n) Demolition • Sequence
• Ease • Emergency
• Documentation • Records / reports
• Safety • Safety
o) Maintenance / repair • Legislation
• High speed traffic
• Escape route
• Lane closure
• Access
• Manual handling
• Safety
p) Operations
• Traffic management
• Safety
q) People and plant
• Concurrent activities
• Footprint
• Proximity
• Movement
• Deliveries
• Compound
• Parking
r) Timing
• Too late
• Too early
• Incorrect sequence
• Extended delays
s) Quality control
• Inspection / testing
• Audit
• Quality assurance
• Safety
t) Commission / start-up
• Requirements
• Sequence
• Safety