WORKPLACE ORGANIZATIONAL CORRELATES OF LOST-TIME ACCIDENT RATES IN MANUFACTURING

We report the results of a questionnaire survey of manufacturing workp laces related to the lost-time frequency rates (LTFR) for Workers' Com pensation claims. Six types of industry were chosen: metal articles, p lastic articles, grain products, textile manufacturing, printing, and automobile manufacturing. LTFR were standardized by type of industry. Stratifying simultaneously by number of employees and LTFR category, w e sampled 718 workplaces. A mail questionnaire to labor and management representatives provided at least some information on 58%. Response r ates were similar across LTFR categories, and telephone interviews of non-responders showed little difference in their replies from those ob tained in completed questionnaires. A large number of variables were e xamined. Apart from statistical significance, we looked for consistenc y in trends across LTFR categories and in patterns from similar questi ons. Significant associations grouped into several areas. Lower LTFR w ere associated with: concrete demonstration by management of its conce rn for the workforce; greater involvement of workers in general decisi on-making; greater willingness of the Joint Health and Safety Committe e to solve problems internally; and greater experience of the workforc e. Variables that were not significant included profitable and financi al performance. A final stepwise multiple regression explained 19% of the variance in LTFR, although this analysis suffered from several lim itations. (C) 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.