In this episode, Dr. Ayers interviews Bruce Main, a leading expert in machine safety and risk assessment, to explore how Prevention Through Design (PtD) can dramatically reduce workplace hazards. Bruce emphasizes that the most effective safety solutions are those built into the design of equipment, processes, and systems — not added after the fact.
Bruce explains that PtD focuses on eliminating hazards during the design phase, when changes are:
Cheaper
More effective
More reliable
Less disruptive
Once equipment is built and installed, options shrink and costs rise.
Bruce reinforces the hierarchy of controls:
Eliminate the hazard
Substitute safer options
Engineer out exposure
Administratively manage what’s left
PPE as the last line
PtD is about living at the top of that hierarchy.
A recurring theme: If a design doesn’t match how people actually work, it will fail.
Bruce stresses the importance of:
Observing real tasks
Understanding operator behavior
Designing safeguards that support productivity
Avoiding “idealized” assumptions
When design ignores reality, workers bypass controls.
Effective PtD requires input from:
Engineering
Maintenance
Operators
Safety professionals
Leadership
No single group sees the full picture. Bruce highlights that PtD is a team sport.
Bruce makes the case that PtD isn’t just safer — it’s smarter business. Benefits include:
Lower lifecycle costs
Fewer retrofits
Reduced downtime
Better productivity
Stronger safety culture
Designing safety in is always cheaper than bolting it on.
Eliminate hazards early — design is the most powerful safety tool.
Engineering controls are the backbone of lasting safety.
Design must reflect real‑world work, not idealized procedures.
PtD requires cross‑functional collaboration.
Investing in PtD pays off in safety, reliability, and cost savings.
