Validation of a Behavioral Measure of Occupational Safety

This investigation attempted to demonstrate directly the relationship between a behavioral measure of safety and occupational injury rates. Behaviorally specific safety rules were written for 12 departments (n = 107 employees) of a farm machinery manufacturing company. Trained observers collected baseline data concerning the percentage of employees in each department working in complete compliance with the rules. Rank-difference correlation between mean departmental baseline performance and previous departmental injury incidence rates were computed. The results revealed a significant inverse relationship between behavioral performance and overall injury rate (rho = -.76 p < .01), and between behavioral performance and lost-time injury rate (rho - -.65, p < .05). It was concluded that applied behavioral analysis could provide a valid and reliable measure of safety which would allow more systematic evaluation of the efficacy of various safety campaigns.