• Land and Housing Review
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.125-137
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• 2024

A conventional Design for Safety (DfS), introduced to eliminate potential hazards in the design phase proactively, has encountered persistent challenges, such as perfunctory risk assessments and hazard identifications based on 2D drawings and inefficient workflow processes. This study proposes a BIM-based approach to Design for Safety (DfS) to address the limitations of conventional methods, aiming to enhance efficiency and achieve practical safety management benefits. The proposed workflow process for BIM-based DfS has been refined and validated for on-site applicability through various case studies, including risk assessments during the design phase and field applications for safety management activities during the construction phase. Specifically, the critical process of risk assessment within the DfS methodology has also been transitioned to a BIM-based approach. This BIM-based risk assessment process has been evaluated through case studies, encompassing safety reviews for structural design, construction equipment operation, and construction methodology with sequence in design projects. Additionally, the proposed BIM-based DfS has demonstrated exceptional on-site applicability and efficiency, as validated by the application of a BIM deliverable embedded in DfS information for CDE-based daily activity briefing, VR-based safety training, AR-based mitigation measures inspections, and other safety management activities in the construction phase.