The influence of risk perception on safety: A laboratory study

Abstract

Although it may be expected that employee perception of risk impacts engagement in safety behavior, previous research has been equivocal. The purpose of the present study was to clarify this relationship via a more thorough measurement of risk perception. Specifically, this study investigated the value of using a risk perception measure that makes risk perception conditional on behavior, in addition to investigating cognitive and affective risk perception. Another purpose of this study was to investigate how a lack of supervisor commitment to safety affects employees’ safety behaviors. Eighty individuals participated in a laboratory study in which they performed two seemingly dangerous tasks. Supervisor commitment to safety was manipulated and safety behavior was assessed using video data. Results suggest that risk perception, when framed with regard to the risk of not performing the safety procedures, is related to safety behavior, as is supervisor commitment to safety. Implications for the findings are discussed, including the need for measures that make risk perception conditional on behavior.