TL;DR:

– The article details the concept of “Safety by Design”.
– It highlights the rising importance of incorporating safety considerations into product design from an early stage.
– This approach is not only crucial in physically tangible products, but also in digital domains like software development and AI technology, where potential safety risks may not be immediately apparent.
– Companies are increasingly recognising that a proactive approach to safety can save them significant costs further down the line in disaster mitigation and legal expenses.
– The overview concludes with an emphasis on how businesses should prioritize safety by design. Stakeholders are advised to invest more effort and budget into safety audits, safety culture training and safety-first design thinking workshops, among others.

Article

Safety by design is becoming a critical conversation in today’s fast-paced technological age. While this concept might seem intuitive in the field of, say, mechanical engineering, it is not as straight forward in seemingly intangible sectors like IT and AI. Often overlooked, these industries pose equally significant safety threats. Hence, businesses are now recognizing the need to incorporate safety issues into their design process. It’s no longer purely about aesthetics and functionality. The cost of retroactive safety management can be crippling, be it in product recalls, legal battles, or damage to reputation. Therefore, proactive safety is imperative.

Most businesses, however, underinvest in safety. Simple steps like conducting safety audits, setting up a safety council, or arranging safety culture training could go a long way in preventing mishaps. Commendably, some businesses are putting safety at the forefront of their strategies. Safety-first design thinking is gaining traction, and it is encouraging to see companies embracing this ethos.

Thoughts

From my perspective, “Safety by Design” should be more than just a trend, it’s a necessity in our evolving digital world. The potential damage from a design flaw in our hyper-connected technology ecosystem could be far-reaching and devastating. Therefore, it’s essential that companies should invest in preventive measures, even if the effects may seem intangible.

Moreover, I appreciate companies that already put safety-first in their design thinking. But we can’t rely on companies alone. Regulatory bodies should also step up the game and enforce safety by design norms and standards.

And the question here is, do you agree with the concept of preventative “Safety by Design”? And should there be stricter regulations to enforce this approach across all industries?

References

Source: TechCrunch