Citation

Kines P. J. Saf. Res. 2003; 34(3): 263-271.

Affiliation

Division of Safety Research, National Institute of Occupational Health, Copenhagen, Denmark. pk@ami.dk

Copyright

(Copyright © 2003, U.S. National Safety Council, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

12963072

Abstract

PROBLEM: The aim of this study was to examine individual workers' cognitive, behavioral, and motivational processes leading up to occupational falls from heights. METHOD: The study is based on 26 semistructured personal interviews and on-site investigations with male workers who reported to an emergency department for treatment of injuries due to falls from heights. RESULTS: A greater number of workers carrying out nonroutine compared to routine tasks perceived, identified, interpreted, and attempted to control a fall hazard. Two cases are presented illustrating how cognition and behavior in context progresses from a lesser to a greater active role in the incident processes. SUMMARY AND IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: The addition of full-scale investigations of how and why workers thought and behaved the way they did in a particular situation can give important clues as to whether preventive measures will be effective in a similar situation in the future.