Behavior and Accident

Causation
Occupational Health and Safety
PUBH 34310
November 5, 2004
Introduction
Accidents may be caused by unsafe acts
or unsafe conditions
This presentation emphasizes behavioral
aspects (acts)
Most remaining class sessions will deal with
workplace conditions
Job Safety Analysis (JSA) will also be
addressed

Objectives
Understand classic motivational theories
Hertzberg, Mazlow, McGregor
Know about basic safety behavior
programs
Incentives, behavior based safety
Advantages/disadvantages
Be familiar with Job Safety Analysis
JSA procedures, forms

Unsafe Acts
Most industrial accidents are attributed to
unsafe acts, rather than unsafe
conditions
88% of accidents caused by unsafe acts
Travelers Insurance Company
Heinrich, Industrial Accident Prevention,
1941
96% of accidents caused by unsafe acts
DuPont (1986)
BTerry McSween, The Values-Based Safety
Process
Understanding Behavior
Why study behavior?
Most accidents are caused by a workers
actions
An understanding of behavior may help
change this unsafe behavior
Psychological Factors in Safety
Individual Differences
Motivation
Emotions
Stress
Attitudes and Behaviors
Learning Processes
Individual Differences
Behavior may not
be predictable
Individual
psychological
makeup differs
Affected by
attitude, heredity,
past experiences
(knowledge),
situation
Motivation

Theories of Motivation
What motivates behavior?
Well-known behavior theories
Abraham Mazlow's Hierarchy of Needs
(1949)
Frederick Hertzberg's Hygiene theory (1953)
Douglas MacGregor's "Theory X and Y" (1960s)



Theories of Motivation
Abraham Mazlow's Hierarchy of Needs (1949)


Five motivators
Physiological
Security
Social
Ego
Self-actualization
Unfulfilled needs
motivate
Each need must be
met in sequence

Theories of Motivation
Mazlow's Hierarchy of Needs ( cont.)
Physiological
Hunger, thirst, sex, excretion, rest, activity
Pay
Security, safety
Comfort, self-preservation, protection, safety,
justice
Job security

Theories of Motivation
Mazlow's Hierarchy of Needs ( cont.)
Social, belonging
Acceptance, membership, tolerance, team
spirit, equality
Co-workers
Ego
Self-respect, freedom, importance, dignity,
power, recognition
Promotions
Self-actualization
Self-expression, achievement, development,
creativity
Self-direction

Theories of Motivation
Frederick Hertzberg's Hygiene theory (1953)
Hygiene Factors, Satisfiers
Policies, Supervision, work conditions, salary, peer relations,
subordinate relations, status, security
They can not motivate, but they can de-motivate if absent
(dis-satisfiers)
Motivators
Achievement, recognition, work itself, responsibility,
advancement, growth
These factors result from internal generators in employees,
yielding motivation
Hygiene and motivation must be done simultaneously
Theories of Motivation
Theories of Motivation
Douglas MacGregor's "Theory X and Y" (1960s)
Theory X Assumptions
Humans do not like work and avoid it if possible
Most people must be controlled and threatened before they will
work hard
Humans prefers to be directed, dislikes responsibility, and
desires security
Theory Y Assumptions
Physical and mental effort in work is as natural as play or rest
Man will direct himself if he is committed to the organization
If a job is satisfying, then the result will be commitment
The average man learns accept and seek responsibility
Most employees can use creativity to solve work problems
Intellectual potentialities of the average man are only partially
utilized.

Attitude
Attitude may have little to do with behavior
Attitude components
Affective
Positive or negative feelings created
Cognitive
Extent of knowledge about a topic
Action
Actual behavior about a topic
Changing attitudes?

Behavioral Safety Programs
Incentive Awards
A pre-determined goal is established, such as an
accident rate or number of lost time injuries
Goods, merchandise or cash is awarded if goal is met
Advantages/Disadvantages
Easy to administer
May reduce rates (often because it discourages proper
reporting of injuries)
Making a game of safety is trivializing
Feedback can go to the wrong group
Robs workers of pride of performance
Creeping entitlement syndrome
Behavioral Safety Programs
Incentive awards (cont.)
Examples:
Gifts are awarded to members of a work group
when a safety goal is met
No lost time injuries in a year, etc.


Behavioral Safety Programs
Incentive awards (cont.)
Examples:
Safety Bingo, Safety Poker
Workers are given game cards
Each day a new number is drawn and posted
The winning worker gets a cash reward
The prize increases after each round
If there is an injury
The current game is aborted
The prize reverts back to the starting value


Behavioral Safety Programs
Behavioral Safety Programs
Incentive Awards (cont.)
Advantages/Disadvantages
Easy to administer
May reduce rates (often because it discourages
proper reporting of injuries)
Making a game of safety is trivializing
Feedback can go to the wrong group
Robs workers of pride of performance
Creeping entitlement syndrome
Behavioral Safety Programs
Behavior Modification programs
Reward for behavior
Smaller rewards (coupons, tokens, etc.)
Awarded many times throughout year
Advantages/Disadvantages
Eliminates false feedback
Does not encourage under-reporting
More difficult to administer (observations, many
meetings, etc.)
Robs workers of pride of performance
Employees may respond cynically
May motivate right behavior, but for wrong reason
Behavioral Safety Programs
Behavior Modification (cont.)
Example:
Behavior-Based Safety
Uses feedback based on identified behaviors
Management behaviors - design, support
Supervisor behaviors - training, equipment
Involvement behaviors - meetings, observations,
suggestions
Relies on Critical behaviors
PPE, body position, tool use

Behavioral Safety Programs
Behavior-Based Safety (cont.)
Advantages/Disadvantages
Identifies behavior and training problems
Increases awareness and aids motivation
More difficult to administer
Depends on proper identification of critical
behaviors

Behavioral Safety Programs
Behavior-Based Safety
Advantages/Disadvantages (cont.)
Turns the Hierarchy of Controls upside down
Workers afraid to report injuries
Can create conflict
Workers
Management
Labor Unions
Internet sites
http://www.semcosh.org/behaviorbasedsafety.htm
http://www.ufcw.org/workplace_connections/retail/safety_health
_news_and_facts/behavior_based.cfm

Behavioral Safety Programs
The Hawthorne effect, a consideration
for all safety programs
1930s era study of the Hawthorne Plant of
the Western Electric Company in Cicero,
Illinois.
Productivity regardless of the workplace factor
being studied
Environmental and psychological factors
Conclusion: People change their behavior
when they are being studied
Job Safety Analysis
Occupational Health and Safety
PUBH 34310
November 5, 2004
Job Safety Analysis
Job Safety Analysis (JSA) is a well-known
method of identifying worksite hazards
Also known as Job Hazard Analysis (JHA)
Which jobs need JSA?
Jobs with highest accidents and injuries
Jobs with near misses or close calls
Can be performed for all jobs
Employees should be involved in all JSA phases
JSA results should be available to employees

Job Safety Analysis
JSA procedures
Look at the general job conditions
Break down the job
Identifying Hazards
Evaluating Hazards
Recommend Safe Procedures and Protection
Job Safety Analysis
Conducting the Job Safety Analysis
Look at the general job conditions
Develop a checklist:

Trip hazards
Lighting
Electrical hazards
Explosive hazards
Tools and equipment
maintained
Noise (interferes with
communication)
Fire equipment
Exits

Vehicles with safety
equipment
Operators trained
Personal protective
equipment worn
Complaints of headache,
breathing problems
Adequate ventilation
Confined spaces
Atmospheric hazards?

Job Safety Analysis
Breaking down
the job
Identify each step
in sequence
Record
information about
each job action
Not too detailed

Job Safety Analysis
Identifying Hazards
Determine hazards
that exist or might
occur
Objects which
could cause injury
Worker caught in
machine?
Worker posture,
motion
Hazardous
potential energy
Environmental
hazards
Falls, etc.

Job Safety Analysis
Evaluating
Hazards
Consider events
which could lead
to injury
Recommend Safe
Procedures and
Protection
Be specific
Review with
employees

Sample form
Sample Job Analysis
Job Safety Analysis
Revising JSA
Review JSA in case of accident or injury
Re-train employees if JSA is revised