Reducing accidents using goal setting and feedback: A field study

Goal‐setting and feedback techniques, previously used in a study to improve safety in the UK construction industry, were applied to a three‐shift production plant, employing approximately 540 people. Critical safety behaviours were identified using accident records and ‘in‐depth' interviews. Checklists of critical behaviours were developed for each of 14 departments in the factory. Forty‐eight observers were trained to observe their colleagues' safety performance and complete the checklists. ‘Baseline’ measures were taken over a four‐ to six‐week period. Participative goal setting was used to set safety improvement ‘goals’ for the critical behaviours, within each department. Performance feedback was presented graphically in each department on a weekly basis. The results indicate significant improvements in safety performance, with a corresponding reduction in the plant's accident rate. Paradoxically, a statistical inverse relationship was not obtained between safety performance and accident rates, although the importance of non‐safety variables in accident causation was demonstrated.