Managing safety in the workplace: An attribution theory analysis and model

Causal attributions represent an important link between workplace safety problems and the actions that are taken to manage them. In fact, actions to manage safety derive more from attributions than from actual causes. This paper begins with brief discussions of attribution theory and causal analysis in workplace safety. An attributional model of the safety-management process is then proposed, which describes the formation of safety-related attributions and the various individual and organizational factors that are likely to complicate and/or bias these causal inferences. Both event-attribution and attribution-remedy linkages are examined, and relevant findings from safety and organizational behavior research are highlighted. In the final section, several safety program recommendations are offered based on this analysis.