CURTIN INDUSTRIAL SAFETY TRIAL - MANAGERIAL BEHAVIOR AND PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS

Behavior-based safety has been found universally efficacious when eval uated under controlled conditions. The Curtin Trial aimed to test the general acceptability of behavior-based safety in Australian industry. A 50% failure rate was observed. This paper presents the results of a qualitative analysis of observed managerial behavior in relation to p rogram effectiveness. Field notes taken in the course of 325 hours of participant observation during implementation of behavior-based safety in 9 work areas were analyzed qualitatively and categorized. These da ta were compared with statistical results of the safety program's effe ctiveness on improving safe practices and good housekeeping. Nine dime nsions to managerial behavior were identified which were associated wi th program effectiveness. A relatively small number of studies investi gating organizational characteristics and safety have found generally similar social environmental features to those observed in this study. Behavior-based safety appears to be effective only in organizations w ith recognizable managerial styles. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.