Individual behaviour in the face of danger

Danger is always present in the work situation (as in all other situations). The only question is how great is the danger and is it increasing, or could it suddenly increase in the foreseeable future. That is indicated at the top of the figure, which is the starting point for this discussion. The task of the individual is to keep danger under control, to avoid errors which provoke 

1 Designers making decisions about machine or workplace design, plant layout, work procedures, etc. They need to predict the actions of the people who will use these products and the hazards which will arise in use. 

2 Operators, safety conunittees, safety advisers and inspectors carrying out hazard inspections, safety audits and surveys, who need to seek out hazards or shortcomings in preventive measures. 

3 Policy makers in industry and government deciding whether a level of risk associated with a technology or plant location is to be accepted. Members of the public assessing whether that policy decision is acceptable to them. 

4 Planners designing emergency plans for reacting to disasters. 

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Hale and Glendon combined the insights of the two major models presented so far (Figures 13.2 and 13.6) with other sources into a model of individual behaviour in the face of danger (Figure 13.7). 

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