The Prime Motivator in Safety Decisions

When analyzing the root cause of safety incidents, investigators are often confronted by poor decisions made on the part of the workers involved. Rarely do we see incidents where the circumstances were outside the control of the worker. And, in many cases, there is a conscious decision made to assume inappropriate risk in order to complete a task.

What were they thinking? Of course, this is a question that is posed in hindsight. Knowing what we know now, there doesn’t appear to be any good reason to go down the path the worker chose to follow. What causes workers to make risky safety decisions that prove to be so costly?

We need to keep in mind that, for the worker, it seemed like a good idea at the time. Safety decisions are no different from any other decision a worker makes in their personal life. The bottom line is that in every circumstance, humans are striving to gain the maximum reward. In other words, in everything that we do, we are always looking for a “win.”

This concept applies to all aspects of our lives. For example, when we go shopping, we are looking for the best deal. Naturally, this means different things to different people. The shopper could be looking for the lowest price, or the best value in terms of durability or performance. Regardless, the item they choose to buy will be the one that they feel will benefit them the most based on their personal criteria.

In regards to industrial safety, each worker will have their own idea of what approach will benefit them the most. If they perceive the rewards are greater for following the rules, they will take the time to gather the correct equipment and plan the job to assure a successful outcome. However, if the rewards are more compelling for getting the job done faster or with less effort, shortcuts will be utilized to achieve the goal.

A thorough understanding of this concept is vital if your organization is earnest in reforming its safety culture. Are you trying to figure out why your workers are making bad safety decisions? Then it is time to get introspective about your system of rewards and how it may be the root cause of the incidents you are trying to avoid.