Withholding Injury Reports
When safety incentive programs recognize employees and departments for working injury-free, peer pressure can inevitably build to withhold injury reports. Programs like this are considered reactive because they only measure past results (injuries) over which there is no control.
Benefits of Reporting
As the level of pressure from supervisors to maintain zero injuries increases, peer pressure from coworkers may increase as well. Pressure to withhold injury reports increases because they jeopardize the department's chances for recognition, whether it's bragging rights, a bonus, or other forms of recognition.
An obvious clue that a reactive safety incentive program exists is the display of banners boasting achievements like "80,000 Hours Without an Injury." This raises questions in the minds of employees about the authenticity of such claims. Furthermore, these programs can lead to a "walking wounded syndrome," in which employees feel compelled to work despite injuries they have sustained.
In the long-term, the company may reduce the number of reported injuries, but each recorded injury is usually more severe. Because the severity of injury has more impact on workers compensation premiums than the number of injuries, the company may realize higher workers compensation costs. So, in the effort to reduce costs when using a reactive recognition program, total long-term safety costs increase.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
5-4. What happens when companies set up reactive safety recognition programs that reward employees based solely on the number of reported injuries?
You forgot to answer the question!