The importance of Design Risk Management: a conversation with IDH’s Alex Andries

We recently sat down with Alex Andries (MEng CEng MICE AAPS), Associate Director and Head of Bridges and Rail here at Independent Design House, to talk about Design Risk Management in bridge engineering. With over 16 years’ experience, Alex brings a huge amount of insight into how thoughtful design can make a real difference to a project’s success in the short term, and people’s lives in the longer term. You can also hear more at Alex’s talk for the Association for Project Safety on 18th November.

 

Q: Alex, could you give us a quick overview of your experience and the kinds of projects you’ve worked on?

Absolutely. I’ve spent 16 years working as a bridge engineer and consultant, with the last 11 years focused on the UK’s highway and rail bridge sector. That’s given me a solid grounding in Design Risk Management, and I’ve worked on everything from small arch culverts to large-scale emergency works and multi-million-pound enhancements.

One standout experience was spending 11 months as an NEC3 Supervisor and client representative on-site for a bridge refurbishment. That role gave me an amazing insight into how designs actually play out in the real world.

A couple of other key projects I’m really proud of are:

Nuneham Viaduct Emergency Works – I was the Structural Design Project Lead, which means I was responsible for delivering fast, effective design solutions under intense pressure. Thanks to great teamwork, we reopened the viaduct safely in just 45 days and stayed within budget.

A4174 Bromley Heath Viaduct Refurbishment – I served as both Designer and NEC supervisor, managing site queries and emerging risks directly. It was a great example of how design risk management works in real-time on-site.

 

Q: What role does a designer play in identifying and eliminating hazards throughout a project?

Designers play a crucial role in spotting and eliminating hazards early on. The earlier we identify risks (especially those related to health and safety or contracts) the easier and cheaper they are to manage. The conceptual design stage is the best time to tackle foreseeable issues, because changes are still relatively easy to make at that stage.

Once a project moves into construction, managing risks becomes more complicated and expensive. Designers often get pulled back to just answering technical queries, which can limit their visibility of how health and safety is being handled on-site. That’s why it’s so important for designers to stay actively involved throughout the entire project from start to finish.

 

“Keep it simple and clear. Instead of long, generic health and safety notes, I recommend putting risk information directly on the drawings using concise language.”

 

Q: Why is this topic so important to raise awareness about?

Because it’s about people’s safety. Poor design risk management can lead to serious, even life-threatening consequences. It’s about protecting the people who build and use these structures.

 

Q: What are some common challenges you see on projects?

Two big ones come to mind:

Miscommunication about site-specific hazards – Sometimes the design team isn’t fully aware of what’s happening on-site, which can lead to unexpected issues.

Designs that are hard to build – If a design doesn’t consider practical construction realities, it can cause major headaches later.

These problems often stem from a disconnect between the design and construction teams.

 

Q: How can design risks be communicated more effectively?

Keep it simple and clear. Instead of long, generic health and safety notes, I recommend putting risk information directly on the drawings using concise language. Site teams are busy, and dense notes often get overlooked. Clear, brief messages are much more likely to be read and therefore acted upon.

 

Q: What are your top tips for managing unexpected challenges?

Get everyone involved. When something unexpected comes up, it’s tempting to fix it quickly and move on. But if you don’t consider the wider impact, you might create new problems in that process. A collaborative approach helps ensure that solutions are well-rounded and don’t cause issues elsewhere.

 

Q: Finally, what else should people know about project safety?

A safe project environment depends on open, honest communication. Designers need feedback from on-site teams about how health and safety information is being used. That feedback loop helps everyone improve and makes future projects safer.

 

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Thanks to Alex for sharing his insights! Here’s how to book onto about his forthcoming talk Design Risk Management – Practical Application on Site as part of the Autumn Webinar Series.