Knowledge, attitude, and practice of design for safety: Multiple stakeholders in the Singapore construction industry

This paper aims to investigate the design for safety (DfS) knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of multiple stakeholders, including architects, civil and structural (CS) engineers, mechanical and electrical (ME) engineers, developers/clients, project managers, and safety professionals, and propose potential interventions to improve the DfS implementation in the construction industry. Data were collected from 257 multiple stakeholders in Singapore using a KAP questionnaire and seven semistructured interviews with DfS professionals, architects, developers, and project managers. The results indicated that the DfS knowledge level of survey participants needs to be improved. The majority of respondents demonstrated a positive attitude towards DfS, but the average level of DfS practice was low. Statistically significant differences in DfS practice were found between developers/clients, CS engineers, and project managers. Three recommendations for improving DfS implementation were proposed: (1) enhance DfS training programs, (2) establish a DfS Community of Practice, and (3) develop DfS courses in tertiary institutions. The findings of this paper can help in the design of strategies to improve the implementation of DfS in the construction industry at the national level and the approach can be used to track the effectiveness of DfS-related interventions across time.