Why Operator Engagement is Critical Before Design Begins in Water Projects

In the water industry, safety and operational efficiency must go beyond plans and drawings. Yet, too often, safety is designed from behind a desk, disconnected from the people who actually work on these assets daily.

The true experts are your operators. Involving them early in the design phase isn’t just beneficial, it’s essential to creating safe, practical, and maintainable water infrastructure.

The Hidden Cost of Designing Without Operator Input

At MASS, we’ve seen firsthand how skipping operator input can lead to costly, time-consuming, and completely avoidable setbacks. It’s a pattern that repeats across the water industry, designs that look perfect on paper, only to fail the reality test once they reach the field.

In one recent project, the specification meetings centred almost exclusively on what was happening below ground - pump configurations, valve positioning, and chamber layouts. The focus was purely technical, driven by engineering requirements and service standards. What went overlooked were the human factors above ground, how operators would safely open, access, and maintain those same chambers day after day.

When installation began, the issues quickly became obvious. The access covers, though compliant on paper, were awkward to lift, positioned too close to structural obstructions, and offered limited working room once open. Operators struggled with the ergonomics, increasing both fatigue and manual handling risk.

Within weeks, the oversight became costly. The project team had to pause commissioning while new covers were designed and manufactured to better suit the operator workflow. That meant:

• Rework and material waste as the initial covers were scrapped.
• Delays in project delivery, pushing back commissioning dates and disrupting downstream scheduling.
• Additional safety risk in the interim, as temporary workarounds were introduced to maintain access.
• Budget blowouts from unplanned redesign, freight, and installation labour.
  

All of it was preventable, if operators had been consulted during the early planning phase. A ten-minute conversation at the design table could have eliminated weeks of rework in the field.

This experience underscored a powerful truth: safety and efficiency cannot be reverse-engineered after construction begins. Real-world input must shape the design from the start.

At MASS, that lesson drives our approach today. We now encourage every client to include operators early in the process, not as an afterthought, but as a key voice in creating safer, more functional access solutions.

The Essential Role of Operator Engagement in Water Projects

When operators are brought into the discussion before design begins, project outcomes improve across every measurable area, from safety and efficiency to asset longevity and team morale. Early engagement isn’t just a “nice to have”, it’s one of the most practical investments a project can make.

1. Real-World Safety, Not Paper Safety

Operator input helps translate standards like AS 1657:2018 (for fixed platforms, walkways, and ladders) and AS 3996:2019 (for access covers and grates) from abstract clauses into real-world safety measures.

On paper, a design might tick every compliance box, correct load rating, correct clear opening, correct handrail height. But in the field, that same design might require an operator to reach awkwardly over pipework, or twist their body to remove a cover safely.

When operators contribute during design, these nuances surface early. They can point out what’s truly practical: where handles should be placed, how a cover should hinge, or what clearance they need to work comfortably in full PPE.

The result? Not just compliant documentation, but safer, smarter designs that actively protect people on site.

2. Fewer Incidents and Accidents

Most workplace incidents in water infrastructure don’t happen because standards were ignored, they happen because the human factor wasn’t considered.

Operators are often the first to identify hazards that don’t show up in technical drawings, such as pinch points between covers and frames, confined spaces that are difficult to ventilate, or slippery access surfaces near wet wells.

When their feedback is incorporated into design, you eliminate those hidden risks before they ever reach the site. This proactive approach prevents common issues like back strains, trips, and awkward manual lifts, the kinds of injuries that don’t just hurt people, but also disrupt maintenance schedules and budgets.

In short: Operator engagement moves safety from reactive to preventive, reducing incidents before they happen.

3. Faster, More Efficient Maintenance

Every hour an operator spends fighting with awkward equipment is an hour of downtime for the network. When designs account for how maintenance is actually performed, productivity and safety rise together.

Operator-driven insights can shape critical elements like:

• Lifting orientation: ensuring covers and grates open in the direction of safe access.
• Clearance zones: providing room for equipment like lifters, pumps, and tools.
• Weight and balance: selecting materials and configurations that reduce strain.
  

Ergonomic layouts reduce fatigue and streamline repetitive tasks. The knock-on effect is significantly shorter maintenance windows, reduced labour costs, and fewer unplanned shutdowns.

Designs that “fit the operator” save time, reduce wear on equipment, and create smoother workflows that last for decades.

4. Extended Asset Life

When operators influence design, assets last longer, not just because they’re built better, but because they’re used better.

Poorly designed access often leads to forced maintenance shortcuts: using the wrong lifting tools, skipping inspections, or applying unnecessary force to components. Over time, that accelerates wear, corrosion, and structural fatigue.

By contrast, when an asset is easy and safe to access, operators are far more likely to follow proper procedures. Correct lifting points, logical drainage paths, and adequate working room all contribute to reduced physical stress on both equipment and personnel.

In essence, early operator engagement builds in resilience, extending the working life of assets and lowering lifecycle costs.

5. A Genuine Safety Culture

Engagement isn’t just about design, it’s about culture. When operators are heard early, they don’t just use the asset; they own it.

This sense of inclusion turns safety from a top-down requirement into a shared value. Operators become more invested in following and improving procedures because they were part of creating them.

For engineering teams, this also means greater buy-in and fewer on-site disputes. The design is no longer something “handed down”, it’s something developed together.

The outcome: a genuine safety culture where collaboration replaces compliance checklists, and every stakeholder feels responsible for getting it right.

Bridging the Gap Between Engineering and Operations

The divide between engineers and operators is not about expertise, it’s about perspective.

• Engineers focus on technical specifications, underground networks, and standards.
• Operators focus on hands-on realities, like lifting access covers, entering pits, and performing maintenance safely in all weather conditions.
  

This gap can create assets that are compliant on paper but difficult to use in practice.

Operator-led design bridges that divide. At MASS, we advocate for structured operator engagement at every project’s start. Whether it’s through early-stage design reviews, site simulations, or ergonomic assessments, our goal is simple: ensure that safety isn’t just drawn, but lived.

How to Incorporate Operator Feedback Effectively

Too often, “consultation” with operators is treated as a checkbox exercise, a quick chat at the tail end of design, when most decisions have already been made. By then, it’s too late to make meaningful changes without disrupting budgets or timelines.

To make operator engagement practical, not performative, it needs to be structured, deliberate, and integrated into the project lifecycle from the start. Here’s how.

1. Host Pre-Design Workshops

The best time to engage operators is before the drawings are finalised, ideally at concept or feasibility stage.

Bring together operators, maintenance crews, safety advisors, and design engineers for collaborative design workshops.

These sessions help uncover how the assets will actually be used day to day:

• What tasks will operators perform most often?
• How much space is realistically available for equipment setup or cover removal?
• What are the current pain points from similar sites?
  
  

Even short workshops can identify dozens of small but critical improvements, such as repositioning lifting points, altering hinge orientation, or adjusting clearances to prevent strain injuries.

At MASS, these sessions often reveal “blind spots” early, long before they become expensive design revisions. It’s where theory meets reality, and where real safety begins.

2. Simulate Real Tasks

A drawing can’t always capture what it feels like to open a cover in the rain, manoeuvre a lifter in a tight pit, or navigate around pipework in full PPE. That’s where simulation comes in.

During design reviews, walk through real operational scenarios, ideally on-site or with physical mock-ups and 3D models. Let operators demonstrate how they would access, lift, inspect, and maintain components under real conditions.

This approach often uncovers details invisible in CAD:

• A handle positioned too far from a standing position.
• Insufficient clearance for lifting arms or mechanical aids.
• Conflicts between handrails, hatches, and valve access points.
  

By observing and adjusting designs in real time, you can build infrastructure that aligns with human movement, not just engineering logic.

3. Document and Validate Operator Feedback

Operator feedback isn’t “anecdotal”, it’s data. Treat it with the same importance as any design calculation or risk assessment.

Record key insights formally in design documentation or risk registers. For example:

• What hazards were identified and how were they resolved?
• Which design changes were made as a result?
• How will those decisions be verified during construction?
  

This creates traceability, a documented link between operator input and design outcome. It also helps when presenting to regulators or auditors, showing that real-world safety was proactively built into the process, not applied later.

4. Close the Loop

True engagement doesn’t end at handover. Once the asset is built and operational, circle back to the operators.

Ask:

• Did the design perform as expected?
• Were any new challenges uncovered during use?
• What lessons can be applied to future projects?
  

This post-construction feedback loop turns each project into a learning opportunity. It builds trust with operations teams, strengthens inter-department collaboration, and steadily improves the standard of safe access design across the network.

At MASS, we encourage utilities and councils to make this step part of every project review, because closing the loop ensures continuous improvement, not just one-off consultation.

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Partnering with MASS: Design That Reflects Reality

At MASS, our philosophy is simple, safe access starts with real-world insight.

We design and manufacture access covers, grates, platforms, and safety systems informed by decades of hands-on experience in the field. Every product we create, from lightweight ergonomic lifting tools to tamper-proof valve lockout devices, is shaped by direct collaboration with operators, engineers, and maintenance teams across Australia’s water and wastewater networks.

Our commitment to operator-led design ensures each solution not only meets Australian Standards like AS 1657 and AS 3996, but also performs safely and efficiently in the conditions operators face every day. It’s the difference between a product that simply works and one that genuinely makes work safer.

At MASS, we bridge the gap between engineering and operations, transforming operator feedback into practical, proven designs that stand the test of time.

FAQs

Why should operators be involved before design starts?

Because they understand how assets are used in real life, their insights prevent safety oversights and operational inefficiencies that can’t be caught in a CAD file.

What’s the risk of not engaging operators?

You risk designing assets that are unsafe, hard to maintain, or non-compliant in practice, leading to rework, downtime, and increased liability.

When is the right time to engage operators?

Ideally before the concept design phase, once the footprint and access methods are fixed, making ergonomic changes becomes far more difficult and costly.

How does MASS support operator engagement?

We facilitate collaborative design discussions with operators and engineers to ensure our products, from access covers to lifting devices, reflect operational best practice.

Partner with MASS Early to Get it Right

The best-designed assets are the ones that work just as well in the field as they do on paper. That only happens when the people who operate, maintain, and rely on them are part of the conversation from the very start.

Too often, operator input is sought only after construction, when changes are expensive, risky, and disruptive. By engaging operators early, you remove uncertainty, prevent rework, and deliver infrastructure that performs safely and efficiently for decades to come.

At MASS, we specialise in turning those early insights into engineered outcomes. Our team works alongside utilities, councils, and contractors to design safe access systems grounded in real conditions, real people, and real use. From concept reviews to final installation, we make sure every detail supports operator safety, ergonomic handling, and long-term maintainability.

Whether it’s a single asset upgrade or a network-wide program, partnering with MASS early means fewer surprises, smoother approvals, and safer outcomes for everyone involved.

Don’t leave safety to hindsight.

Engage MASS at the start of your next water infrastructure project, and get it right the first time.

Contact us today to bring practical operator insight into your next project and build water infrastructure that’s safer, smarter, and built to last.

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