Behavioral Safety from the
Consumer's Perspective

Behavioral Safety from the Consumer's Perspective: Determining WHO Really Provides Behavioral Safety

Grainne A. Matthews

Since its introduction in the seventies, the behavioral approach to workplace safety has had tremendous success in reducing injuries, increasing employee involvement, and reducing costs. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then behavioral safety must indeed be successful. The marketplace is now full of consultants who advertise themselves as behavioral safety experts. Closer examination reveals that many of them have done no more than rename their company or change their brochure. How is a consumer to distinguish between the real expert and the snake oil salesperson? This session will present some guidelines for selecting someone who can really bring the power of behavioral safety to your company.

I. What is the "behavioral" in behavioral safety?

II. What are the defining features of a behavioral approach?

III. What would a high quality behavioral intervention look like?

IV. When is "Behavioral Safety" not Behavioral Safety?

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This paper was originally presented at the Behavioral Safety Now 1998 conference.