702 Effective Accident Investigation

Six Key Questions

5. Why is the decision-maker doing safety?

Management has three very important safety obligations.

It's important to know what is motivating the decision-maker. Is the decision-maker doing safety to fulfill one or more of the following imperatives?

• The social obligation: You may want to emphasize improved morale, public relations. Common in a humane corporate culture.
• The financial obligation: You may want to emphasize the costs/benefits. Common in an achievement-driven culture.
• The legal obligation: You may need to emphasize possible penalties if corrections are not made. Common in a fear-driven culture.

Employer motivation will determine the nature of the objections to the recommendations you submit. What are possible objections the decision-maker might raise? Whatever they might be, it's important you understand their motivations so that you are better prepared with responses that satisfy the decision-maker's needs.

• List the possible decision-maker objections.
• List the arguments that are most likely to be successful against those objections.
• As a last resort, review employer obligations under administrative law.

Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.