Nudging Safety Behavior in the Steel Industry: Evidence from Two Field Studies

The practice of nudging received much attention in different domains of human behaviour (e.g. finance, health, traffic safety and sustainability), but its relevance has not been systematically investigated for safety in the process industry. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of nudge interventions in promoting safety behavior in the steel industry through field experiments in a large steel plant, particularly in relation to gas hazards and falling from stairs The results of both experiments showed that the nudge interventions were very effective in promoting safety behavior among workers. An icon reminding of the gas dangers on work jackets effectively increased gas detector compliance, while hand print cues were able to promote workers holding onto handrails. Related organizational implications for a safety nudging approach are discussed. Overall, these findings suggest that nudge interventions can be a cost-effective approach to promote safety behavior in the steel industry. The suggested nudge framework should be implemented as part of a holistic safety approach to promote safety behavior among workers and prevent severe accidents. 

Keywords 

Nudging – Safety behavior – Process Industry – Gas Hazards – Staircase Safety– Field Experiment – Decision-Making 

Costa, S., Duyck, W., Van Wouwe, E., Dirix, N. (in press). Nudging Safety Behavior in the Steel Industry: Evidence from Two Field Studies. Safety Science. Impact factor 6.1. Ranking Q1. PDF available here.