Transcript Lecture #1 Summary

Lecture #1 Summary

Construction industry has one of the highest
accident rates. Very little data on worker health
impacts.

Difference between following the law and
making it a work culture

Safety & Health have been secondary project
objectives but is gaining importance today.

Practices vary widely between companies in the
same country and across countries
What is an Accident ?
 An
unplanned event ? (which may or may
not result in damage – injury)
• Can we “plan” to avoid an “unplanned” event ?
• Is a near-miss an accident ?
MAJOR
ACCIDENT
29
300
MINOR
ACCIDENTS
NO DAMAGE OR
NO INJURY
CASES
Accident Theories –
(why do accidents occur &
how can they be prevented)
Accident Proneness
Goals-Freedom Alertness
Adjustment-Stress
Distractions Theory
Chain of Events
Accident Proneness Theory
 Are
some people more accident prone ?
Accident proneness “ A personal idiosyncrasy predisposing the
individual who possess it in a marked degree to a relatively high
accident rate” [Farmer & Chambers 1929]
“The innate propensity for accidents”
Traits for propensity
Fatalistic
Extroverted
Aggressive
Accident Proneness Theory


Perception and willingness to take risks - Risk
Proneness

Age .vs. Risk Proneness

Situation .vs. Risk Proneness
Only few hypotheses have been validated
statistically
How can it be applied to reduce accidents ?
Goal Freedom Alertness
by Kerr
 Psychologically
rewarding environment
leads to safe work performance

Well defined goal by Management through worker
participation

Freedom to pursue the goal

Results in Alertness to achieve the goal
How can it be applied to reduce accidents ?
Adjustment-Stress Theory
Kerr
 Diversion/Stress
compromises safe
performance
 Complement
 Diversion
to earlier 2 theories – GFA
–External or Internal
Adjustment-Stress Theory

Internal Stress


Fatigue, Alcohol, Anxiety
External Stress

Noise, Illumination, Temperature

Generated on Job or Outside

Management Focus to reduce job stress –




cost, time restrictions
Unsafe environment
Poor interpersonal relationships
Mgmt sensitivity to outside job stresses
Proportion of Accidents Explained
Adjust Stress
55%
Accd prone
10%
Goal Freedom Alert
Accd prone
Adjust Stress
Goal Freedom Alert
35%
Distractions Theory-Internal
Hinze
 Accident
causation theory applied to a
situation where there is a recognized
hazard.
 Focus


on
Task (High task achievement)
Distraction (Low task achievement)
 Are
productivity and safety in conflict ?
Distractions Theory-Internal
Distraction Due to work hazard
High
Low
Focus
High
Focus
Low
Low
High
Task Achievement
Distractions Theory-Internal
Example- Painter standing on a support
Distraction from the activity
High
Low
Focus
High
Focus
Low
Low
High
Task Achievement
Distractions Theory-External
(Mental Distractions)
Example- Preoccupation with issues not related to work
External Distraction Source!! (positive or negative)
High High
Focus
Low
Focus
Low
Low
Task Achievement
High
HOW CAN MANAGEMENT APPLY DISTRACTIONS THEORY ?
Chain-of-Events Theory
•
Accidents are a result of a series of events
•
If any event in this series or chain had not occurred the
accident might be averted
•
Last event is usually caused by the worker - so the
worker is usually blamed
•
Chain of events is not strictly a theory but a means to
prevent/analyze accidents.
Chain-of-Events Theory
Situation:
*
*
*
*
*
*
Worker falls of 3rd story & is seriously injured
Not wearing safety belt
No rails around perimeter
Worker assumed safety belt is not available
Others were not wearing safety belts
Long form to fill to get belt from store
Who is responsible ?
How could the chain be broken ?
Chain-of-Events Theory
• Basically MANAGEMENT
• Chain of event analysis shows that in
most accidents management can
somehow break the chain
* Enforce Procedures
* Inadequate Facilities
* Poor Design or Selection
* Poor Attitude
* Inadequate Training
* Poor maintenance
* Inadequate Planning & Layout
* Failure to Recognize hazard
* Lack of Comprehension
* Inadequate Coordination
PROJECT ORG
MANAGEMENT
UNSAFE ACTS
UNSAFE CONDITION
WORKER
INJURY
Summary- Accident Theories
 Accident
Proneness
 Goals-Freedom Alertness
 Adjustment-Stress
 Distractions
 Chain
Theory
of Events