This week's Why Social Science? post comes from The Conversation, where Jesus M. de la Garza, E. Scott Geller, and Sogand Hasanzadeh write about the behavioral science behind risk taking and how that can be applied to make workplaces safer.
Interventions designed to keep people safe can have hidden side effects. With an increased perception of safety, some people are more likely to take risks.
For example, some vehicle drivers take more risks when they are buckled up in a shoulder-and-lap belt. Some construction workers step closer to the edge of the roof because they are hooked to a fall-protection rope. Some parents of young children take less care with medicine bottles that are “childproof” and thus difficult to open.
Techniques designed to reduce harm can promote a false sense of security and increase risky behavior and unintentional injuries.
As civil engineers and applied behavioral scientists, we are interested in ways to improve workplace safety. Our ongoing research suggests that employers need to do more than provide injury-protection devices and mandate safety rules and procedures to follow. Job-site mottos like “safety is our priority” are not enough. Employers need to consider the crucial human dynamic that can counteract their desired injury-prevention effects – and tap into strategies that might get around this safety paradox.