​Designing a Safer Built Environment addresses long-standing uncertainties and challenges faced by designers, highlighted by recent events such as the Grenfell Tower fire, by providing a clear methodology for design risk management. Applicable across projects of all sizes, the book shows how designers can effectively manage risks to safety and health over a structure’s life-cycle whilst also raising standards. Importantly, it is also written for those professionals who manage, oversee, or have a wider interest in the consequences of design work.

Coverage includes

• a clear methodology for the Designer duties in the 2015 CDM Regulations 
• influence of contract, time, and cost on design risk management decisions 
• managing the risk of structural failure during construction and over the life of the structure 
• techniques to facilitate collaboration, and the importance of effective communication 
• wider business benefits to good risk management including the avoidance of civil claims
• incorporating contemporary industry practice into design
• Appendix B, an updated resource containing specific industry guidance, that will help designers to comply with their duties under the CDM Regulations. The latest version, which is free to download now. 

The book also has an extensive list of references to further sources of information.

Designing a Safer Built Environment questions, challenges, informs and explains. It is an essential companion for construction industry designers, and also those with associated responsibilities including Design Managers, Principal Designers, Clients and Contractors.

You can meet the author of the book on our Youtube channel.

John Carpenter also discusses how to improve design risk management in his blog.

Book Reviews 

The Civil Engineering Contractors’ Association represents 300 companies that undertake about 80% of UK infrastructure works. Our members have been increasingly concerned at how risk can be shared equitably, so Designing a Safer Built Environment has come out at just the right time. I was delighted that the author, John Carpenter, asked us for our thoughts on risk, and his book captures these concerns admirably. It should be required reading for any organisation involved in building or maintaining our critical infrastructure.

Guy Lawson, Director of Civil Engineering Contractors Association North West, UK

All too often there is an inconsistent approach to how buildings and major infrastructure schemes are designed to reduce health and safety risks, during construction and when they are are handed over to the end users for operation, leading to poor quality of buildings and infrastructure. During my discussions with the author, John Carpenter, it soon became apparent that Designing a Safer Built Environment is looking to provide practical guidance for designers to improve their performance on how they manage and mitigate health and safety risks. This book is a must read for any clients involved in delivery of buildings, projects and major infrastructure

Gary O’Brien, Director, Construction Clients' Leadership Group, UK

A well thought out book, giving practical advice to all, and very relevant to designers in all fields and stages of career.

Sarah Melville-Crowe, RAF (Ministry of Defence), UK