PSYCHOLOGY OF SAFETY: Personality's powerful role in safety
In this article I want to make an important distinction between one’s propensity to get injured on the job (injury proneness) versus one’s willingness to participate actively in safety improvement processes.
This is part on an ongoing series of articles I’ve written this year for ISHN on the role personality plays in industrial safety and health. Why focus on personality? Over the years in safety, we’ve tackled the so-called low-hanging fruit by focusing on recognizable risks that can be observed, measured and controlled. We’ve used strategies such as ergonomics, machine guarding and behavior-based safety. But even more injuries can be prevented if personality factors are adequately addressed.