Failure to follow safety instructions: faulty communication or risky decisions

The faulty communication versus risky decision hypotheses of failure to follow safety instructions were explored in a laboratory experiment. Four groups of 10 male college students differing in tool-using experience and safety orientation were asked to perform work sample activities with an electric chain saw. Safety orientation was provided by classroom lecture content. Dependent variables were compliance with safety warnings contained in the chain saw operating instructions and recognition of those instructions in a posttrial test. Understanding of instructions was verified by posttrial interview. Overall group compliance with the test safety instructions was 55.6%. Compliance for the group experienced with chain saws was 41.25%; for the inexperienced group it was 70%. An ANOVA showed both tool experience and safety orientation to be significant in influencing compliance. Instruction recognition was 87.5% overall with no difference between groups. Interviews revealed that the groups made an assessment of subjective risk dependent on their individual experience and safety orientation and acted accordingly.