Injuries & the Experienced Worker

摘要

While many industrial accidents involve new workers who often have an inadequate appreciation of the potential dangers in their workplace, a substantial number of these cases involve older, more experienced workers who "should have known better." The potential cause of this apparent paradox is complex, but may have an impact on the nature of both product design and workplace safety training. When one considers the likelihood of accidents in the industrial sector, the common assumption is that experience and skill are primary factors in their prevention. Some current theories regarding risk-taking behavior suggest that this is not always the case [Naatanen and Summala; Summala; Wilde(a); (b)]. In fact, experience and skill can actually have a negative impact on risk-taking behavior, leading the experienced worker to take chances that a less-experienced worker might avoid.