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700 Introduction to Safety Management
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Element 4: Application of Effective Consequences

In the workplace, managing safety often involves different types of reinforcement and punishment to encourage safe behavior and discourage unsafe practices.

A sincere handshake can go a long way!

There are four basic types of positive and negative consequences:

  1. Positive reinforcement
  2. Negative reinforcement
  3. Positive punishment
  4. Negative punishment

Positive Reinforcement

This happens when a positive outcome or reward follows safe behavior, making it more likely that the behavior will happen again. Each of the following are important characteristics of positive reinforcement:

  • It increases desired behaviors.
  • Both safe or unsafe behaviors are positively recognized and rewarded.
  • Workers perform better to receive positive recognition or rewards.
  • Workers are motivated to perform far beyond minimum standards.
  • It's most effective when desired behaviors emphasize working safe, no matter what.
  • It's not effective when desired behaviors emphasize working fast, not necessarily safe.

Perceived positive reinforcement can increase both safe and unsafe behaviors.

  • Employees consistently wear safety gear and follows protocols, so they are given a bonus or public recognition for their safe practices. This is a good strategy because the recognition is based on known criteria and everyone that meets or exceeds the criteria is rewarded.
  • Employees who consistently follow safety protocols are entered into a monthly draw for a free lunch or gift card. This is actually a poor strategy because recognition or reward is based on luck and only one person is ultimately the "winner".
  • The team achieves a record number of days without a injury and is rewarded with an extra day off. This is another poor strategy because the recognition and reward, although supposedly based on the number if days without an accident, is actually promoting the withholding of employee injury reports. Team members will not want to report injuries because doing so might hurt their chances for recognition.
  • Safe behaviors are reinforced if employees comply with safety rules, the supervisor thanks them. This is one of the best strategies to achieve high levels of safety excellence. A simple "thanks" goes a long way.
  • Unsafe behaviors are reinforced if employees take safety shortcuts and supervisor rewards them with time off. This is another poor strategy because the result will be increased non-injury incidents, injury accidents, and higher costs.

Negative Reinforcement

Negative reinforcement involves removing something negative to reinforce a positive behavior. It's about taking away an unpleasant outcome when safe behavior is observed. The characteristics of negative reinforcement include the following:

  • Employees perform only to avoid the perceived negative consequence – nothing else.
  • Withholding something negative may occur as a result of safe or unsafe behaviors.
  • Employees perform to minimum standard but not beyond – just enough to stay out of trouble.
  • The focus is on compliance, not excellence.
  • It is a fear-based strategy to maintain control.
  • The intended purpose may be to improve safety, but the strategy fails to achieve the purpose.
  • If employees complain about extra paperwork. The supervisor decides that if the team goes a month without a safety incident, they won't have to continue the paperwork requirements. This strategy won't work because it sends a message that safety isn't important. Eventually injury rates will increase.
  • If workers maintain a clean and organized workspace, reducing the risk of accidents, the supervisor reduces the frequency of detailed inspections. Again, this strategy is counterproductive for the same reason as the first example.
  • If employees complete safety training, they no longer have to attend the repetitive weekly safety lectures. This strategy sends a very poor message about the value of safety training.
  • If employees take safety shortcuts to get work done ahead of schedule, the supervisor ignores their safety infractions. It should be obvious that working fast will result in higher injury rates.

Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.

2-8. Which of the following consequence strategies will most likely cause workers to perform far beyond minimum standards?