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This study assessed factors affecting underreporting by studying the incidence of the factors on projects with perceived good and bad recordkeeping. This was based on completed US construction projects.

Perceived good and bad recordkeeping was based on the assessment from experienced health and safety professionals who were “doubtful that the project is reporting safety incidents accurately, regardless of the safety performance” (p2).

Results:

A whole raft of factors were found to be related to accident underreporting. This included safety values, lack of commitment to safety by the company owner, lack of resources, job insecurity, or lack of quality incident investigations. Further reported was instances of some subcontractors pressuring health practitioners to provide insufficient medical treatment in order to change the injury classification.

Many factors relating to the safety system were found. This included insufficient procedures, issues around subcontracting arrangements, schedule pressure and lack of cooperation. Multiple communication, bonus/incentives, and supervision issues were also found.

Most of aforementioned findings are well-known and not really interesting so I’ll focus now on issues with data management & systems.

Here underreporting was linked to onerous reporting systems (or lack thereof) being available or related to restrictions in how safety data has to be entered into the system. That is, how onerous the reporting system is or the degree of restrictions and specific fields which must be entered in the software dissuaded people from reporting.

Another issue related to the silo between management systems of contractors and subcontractors, and more generally in communication. The lack of automation between the systems and their lack of accessibility for workers contributed to underreporting.

Expanding on bonuses/incentives, misguided incentive programs were found to contribute to underreporting, as was punitive reporting consequences. Productivity bonus systems and absenteeism plans that punish or dismiss workers because of lost time injuries also contributed.

For factors external to the firms that contribute to underreporting, avoidance of drug tests by workers, fear of negative publicity exposure, insurance costs, fear of litigation and government penalties all contributed to underreporting.

Overall, this research highlights that “the occurrence of factors affecting underreporting is more frequent on projects where the project safety team was doubtful about the accuracy of reporting” (p17).

It also highlights the multiple interrelated factors affecting system performance and how, in my view, if we provide rubbish, poorly valued and not fit-for-purpose work systems then we can’t be surprised when people inevitably adapt and find workarounds to continue work.

Link: https://doi.org/10.1080/15623599.2019.1613211