INTRODUCTION
Some research suggests that conducting safety observations of another's safety performance may serve as an effective tool in increasing the safety performance of the observer. The primary purpose of the present study was to assess the effects of conducting safety observations on the postural safety performance of observers engaging in an assembly task for short time periods. The secondary objectives of the study were: (a) to measure productivity, and (b) to measure the accuracy of participant safety observations.
METHOD
An ABC (A: baseline, B: information, C: observation) multiple-baseline design counterbalanced across postural behaviors (back, shoulder, and feet position) was implemented with six participants.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Substantial improvements in postural safety occurred after participants conducted safety observations, and these improvements did not appear to negatively affect productivity. Results also suggest that there is no relation between the accuracy of an observer's safety observation and their subsequent safety performance.
IMPACT ON INDUSTRY
This research provides evidence that a safety observation process can function to increase safe postural behavior of observers. Thus, the implementation of such a process may contribute to the prevention of musculoskeletal disorders and related costs in the workplace.
[1]
John Austin,et al.
The Effects of Training, Feedback, and Participant Involvement in Behavioral Safety Observations on Office Ergonomic Behavior
,
2005
.
[2]
Thomas R. Krause,et al.
The Behavior-Based Safety Process: Managing Involvement for an Injury-Free Culture
,
1990
.
[3]
P. Lachenbruch.
Statistical Power Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences (2nd ed.)
,
1989
.
[4]
A. Kazdin.
Methodological issues & strategies in clinical research
,
1992
.
[5]
Alicia M. Alvero,et al.
The effects of conducting behavioral observations on the behavior of the observer.
,
2004,
Journal of applied behavior analysis.