The Prevention Mindset Behind DPR’s Standout Projects

BeOne Medicine U.S. Manufacturing and Clinical R&D Center 

Hopewell, NJ 

BeOne Medicines’ (formerly BeiGene) new 400,000‑sq.‑ft. flagship U.S. Manufacturing and Clinical R&D Center spans six buildings—including an office and laboratory facility, Drug Substance and Drug Processing buildings, warehouse space, a central utility building and a central utility spine—designed to accelerate the development of innovative oncology medicines for patients worldwide. The size and technical sophistication of this campus demanded a safety program as intentional and forward-thinking as the work it supported, making safety performance a defining measure of project success.

The team prioritized safety by focusing on planning work with purpose. A dedicated Safety Committee was established to promote open communication and proactive planning to identify and eliminate potential hazards. Safe behaviors were reinforced during weekly meetings by recognizing individuals who demonstrated exceptional safety leadership such as reporting hazards, consistent use of PPE and taking initiative in the field helping to strengthen accountability and positive reinforcement. In addition, monthly trade partner meetings created space for open dialogue around observed behaviors, controls and safety culture, enabling teams to share concerns, insights and best practices.

Regular safety site walks helped proactively identify and address potential hazards. In response to recurring observations and data indicating hand-related incidents, the team implemented a “Hand Awareness Campaign” focused on hand protection. This included updating the site-specific safety plan requiring Cut Level 4 gloves for all employees and reinforcing hand placement awareness during pre-task planning. Using a data driven approach to continuous improvement, the team leveraged data from site inspections, near-misses and incident reports across leading and lagging safety indicators to guide targeted risk-reduction efforts.  

Atrium Health Levine Cancer Proton & Advanced Radiation Center 

Charlotte, NC

Award win: ENR Texas & Southeast Best Project Winner 

This 34,500‑sq.‑ft. addition to the Carolinas Medical Center campus brings together breakthrough treatment technologies—including proton therapy, gamma knife radiosurgery and radiopharmaceutical treatments—to serve adult and pediatric patients with cancer and neurological disorders. Central to the facility is a three-story proton therapy vault housing a proton accelerator mounted on a 300,000‑lb rotating gantry, the first configuration of its kind in the world. Delivering a project of this technical complexity required an equally advanced approach to safety—one that anticipated the project’s unique risks and elevated protections for every worker on site.

Targeted, site-specific strategies were implemented to emphasize training and went well beyond standard industry protocols. Early in the project, the team recognized that the building’s height and complexity required a heightened focus on fall protection. No personnel were permitted to climb or work on vertical wall systems without first completing specialized training. This training took place both onsite and at DPR's Raleigh-Durham office, where full-scale wall panels were erected to replicate jobsite conditions. These realistic simulations ensured that all personnel were fully prepared in proper tie-off techniques and safe climbing practices before accessing elevated work areas. 

Throughout construction, the team maintained a strong safety culture through proactive planning, daily coordination and close collaboration with the client.  The team’s commitment to customized safety solutions protected workers and stakeholders alike, resulting in zero recordable incidents and no lost-time accidents.  

AdventHealth Lenexa City Center Hospital

Lenexa, KS

Award win: ENR Texas & Southeast Best Project Winner 

The 244,000‑sq.‑ft. AdventHealth Lenexa City Center Hospital and emergency department features a six‑level tower with 187,992 sq. ft. of finished space and 56,561 sq. ft. shelled for future expansion. The facility includes 36 completed medical/surgical rooms, eight ICU rooms and capacity for 50 additional beds, along with a full suite of diagnostic and treatment services such as operating rooms, prep and recovery spaces, a cath lab, endoscopy, cardiopulmonary care and an infusion center. Supporting amenities including a chapel, administrative offices, a training and conference center, and a central energy plant further highlight the project’s scale and operational complexity. Delivering a facility of this magnitude required a safety approach capable of matching its ambition—and safety leadership became a defining strength of the project. 

One of the most impactful safety initiatives on this project was the Hazard Recognition Program, which empowered all personnel to report both safe and unsafe conditions in real time. These reports were immediately received by the project team, enabling prompt responses, identifying trends and allowing the team to proactively target areas for improvement.

Our commitment to proactive planning was also evident through comprehensive utility coordination efforts. By thoroughly identifying and planning around all existing utilities, the team achieved zero utility strikes.

In support of the Ladders Last campaign, the team replaced traditional jobsite-built ladders with prefabricated Adjustastairs. This shift reduced fall risk while improving accessibility, allowing workers to walk safely rather than climb. These stairs provided a more stable, ergonomic solution that enhanced both jobsite safety and overall efficiency.

Together, these initiatives reflect the team's holistic approach to safety—one that prioritizes planning, engagement and continuous risk reduction to protect every worker on site. 

City of Hope - Hope Plaza

Duarte, CA

Award win: ENR West Award of Merit Winner

This 345,400‑sq.‑ft., world‑class outpatient facility consolidates right‑sized services—including cancer treatment clinics, radiology, women’s care, infusion therapy, pharmacy and lab services—into a single, patient‑centered destination. Delivering a project of this scale required not only technical excellence, but a jobsite culture capable of supporting hundreds of workers safely and consistently throughout construction. That commitment to safety became a defining feature of the project, and ultimately the foundation of its award-winning performance.

From the outset, the team established a comprehensive, data-driven and highly collaborative approach that went beyond industry standards. A dedicated safety committee, comprised of safety managers from each trade partner, was established early in the project. This group conducted monthly site inspections to align on best practices and proactively address emerging risks, ensuring a shared commitment to the safety of the project team and site visitors.

To monitor and improve safety performance in real time, the team leveraged HammerTech, a digital safety platform used to track trends through observations and audits. Insights were regularly shared at staff meetings, OAC meetings and safety committee sessions, reinforcing accountability and enabling data-informed decisions. This proactive approach contributed to an incident rate of just 0.42—well below industry averages.

All new workers received daily site-specific orientations to ensure awareness of unique jobsite conditions and expectations which were reinforced through weekly all-hands safety meetings. Monthly training sessions emphasized Safety as a Value and encouraged personal ownership across the team. The team also provided onsite training for aerial lifts, forklifts, heat illness prevention, scaffolding, fall protection confined space entry and other critical activities, ensuring all trade partners had access to the education needed to work safely.

Together, technology, training and transparent communication created a resilient safety culture—one that protected workers, minimized risk and demonstrated a commitment to safety excellence.

Ballard Spahr Lane Powell Tenant Improvement 

Seattle, WA

Award win: ENR West Award of Merit Winner

The Ballard Spahr Lane Powell Tenant Improvement project transformed 50,000 sq. ft. across three floors of Seattle’s Russell Investment Center using DPR’s Plan it Right safety approach. Designed to support every employee, the space features dynamic common areas, state-of-the-art conference rooms, equitable access to natural light and enhanced acoustic performance achieved through meticulous detailing and construction. Bringing this vision to life required not only thoughtful design, but an intentional approach to safety embedded into every phase of the project.

The team developed a tailored Site-Specific Safety Plan to integrate federal, state, local and owner-specific requirements. Going beyond compliance, the team focused on establishing a strong safety culture from the earliest stages of bidding through project completion. This plan was shared with trade partners before mobilization, ensuring a clear understanding of expectations and project-specific risks.

A key differentiator was the use of DPR's risk assessment tool during preconstruction to identify potential hazards and high-risk activities, including those associated with STKY work. By evaluating both the severity and likelihood of risk, the team was able to implement targeted mitigation measures early, reducing exposure throughout the project.  

Trade partner engagement was further strengthened through one-on-one safety plan reviews, where teams aligned on expectations and identified opportunities for DPR to provide additional support before mobilization and throughout the construction. Safety goals were tracked through weekly internal meetings and real-time dashboards powered by PowerBI and HammerTech, providing visibility into trends and enabling quick corrective action when needed.

The team’s collaborative, planning-driven approach to safety resulted in zero lost-time incidents, reflecting the team’s strong commitment to communication, accountability and continuous improvement.

Digital Realty Neckermann Building Structural Retrofit & Data Center

Frankfurt am Main, Germany

The team transformed this historic monument-listed corporate headquarters into Frankfurt's largest data center. Originally designed by renowned architect Egon Eiermann and completed in 1961, the former Neckermann headquarters, had been vacant since 2012. DPR delivered the piling, cold dark shell and fit-out of FRA18—the first 16 megawatts of capacity. The scale of the redevelopment, combined with the building’s heritage status and technical demands, created a uniquely complex environment that required a unified, adaptive safety culture to ensure success.

This project brought together more than 2,000 operatives from 49 countries, with multiple languages spoken onsite. Establishing a consistent approach to safety across diverse trades, backgrounds and perspectives required intentional leadership and collaboration. By fostering a single, cohesive safety team across all trades, DPR helped instill a prevention mindset and common understanding of what it means to work safely.

Weekly site walks brought safety personnel from all trades together to observe work, identify opportunities for improvement and recognize safe practices. Conducting these walks collaboratively encouraged shared ownership and strengthened the team’s commitment to continuous improvement.

This “one team” philosophy extended into safety meetings where expectations were defined collaboratively rather than dictated. This led to greater adoption of safe practices from workers on site, ranging from proper PPE use to being better equipped for working at height.