Workplace accidents: Looking at the factors that influence accident and self-reported near miss incident involvement in food production workers

Abstract

The cost of workplace accidents is substantial. This research aimed to further understanding of workplace accidents so that the number of accidents might be reduced. The context within which we understand what constitutes an accident and the methods we currently use to attempt to reduce workplace accidents are covered in the literature review. A large number of variables from other research that have been found to be associated with accident involvement were also identified from the literature. The empirical research section of this thesis examined these variables and compared them with workplace injury accidents and self-reported near miss incident involvement to determine which variables had the most influence.

Using questionnaires and interviews, 60 food-processing employees, who had had a workplace accident in the previous year, were compared with 66 who had not. Independent scales included in the questionnaire were: Expressed Anger, General Life Satisfaction, Interpersonal Relationships, Job Satisfaction, Low Self-esteem, Poor Interpersonal Relationships, Rebelliousness, Risk Taking, and Social Maladaptiveness. Independent variables (IVs) from interviews with participants included Age Group, Total Score of Job Risk Factors, Total Score of Hazardous Equipment Used, and Heavy Lifting Using Own Body. The dependent variables (DVs) used were Organisational Accident Records, Self-reported Accident Involvement, and Self-reported Near Miss Incident Involvement.

Significant IV s using logistic regression were Age Group and Heavy Lifting Using Own Body for both the DVs of Organisational Accident Records and Self-reported Near Miss Incident Involvement, Risk Taking for the DV of Self-reported Near Miss Incident Involvement only, and Total Score of Hazardous Equipment Used for the DV of Organisational Accident Records only. The variance accounted for in all instances was small (between 15 and 27%).

Factor analysis was used to determine if there was a better grouping of the questionnaire items (other than their original scale groupings). Principle components analysis indicated that there were five components. These were then used in logistic regression analysis in place of the scales previously used. The significant relationships found included Component 1 (Self-centred/angry), Heavy Lifting Using Own Body and Age Group for the DV of Organisational Accident Records, and Component 1 for the DV of Self-reported Accident Involvement. For the DV of Self-Reported Near Miss Involvement the significant variables were Age Group and Heavy Lifting Using Own Body. The variance accounted for was between 6 and 25 percent.

It was anticipated that this research would be able to show that employees, or potential employees, at most risk of having an accident could be identified using a mixture of scales (or components). Although there were some significant findings these were not adequate to be combined and used as a screening tool. There was general support for increasing age and heavy lifting to be associated with higher accident involvement. There were no significant relationships between accident involvement and Self-reported Near Miss Incident Involvement, suggesting that promoting awareness of near miss incidents might encourage workers to be more cautious in risk situations.