The Effects of Objective Feedback on Vehicular and Industrial Accidents

Abstract

To date, feedback interventions to improve safety at work have almost exclusively entailed providing feedback on intermediate criteria (e.g., the frequency of safe work behaviors or work hazards). In the present field experiment, outcome feedback was provided regarding the actual frequency of accidents. Over a 43-week experimental period, the rate of vehicular accidents declined by routhly 5% in the experimental facility while accidents increased by roughly 17% in comparison facilities-an overall improvement of some 22%. Concurrently, the rate of industrial accidents declined by roughly 12% in the experimental facility versus an increase of 4% in the comparison facilities-an overall improvement of approximately 16%. Cost-effectiveness data are provided, and results are discussed in light of a limiting condition.