DfS (design for safety) can significantly reduce the engineering safety risk, decreasing the economic and social losses caused by safety accidents. To introduce DfS in China's subway engineering, and with the help of a literature review and semi-structured expert interview, this study sorted out 28 promoting factors (including policy environment, practice, guidelines and tools, and education four categories) and seven impediment factors to DfS implementation. Through 80 questionnaire surveys of staff from universities, research institutes, and subway development, design, construction, and operation companies, this study screened out 26 promoting factors and seven impediment factors to assess the relationship between the two types of factors. The research provides a reference for DfS implementation in countries that have not implemented DfS before, such as China.
Keywords: China; design for safety; subway engineering; success factors.