Problems of under-reporting

Earlier studies in the Scandinavian countries have shown that the reporting of accidents to the authorities is unreliable and that on average about 50 per cent of the reportable accidents never are reported (Kjellen et ai, 1986). Differences between the countries could be explained by varying benefit levels, as determined by the workmen s compensation system. There are reasons to assume that the accidents that are not reported to the authorities are not documented and followed up at company level either. This means that important experience is lost. 

Q=the reliability is high which results in a low average severity. 

P=the reliability is low which results in a high average severity. 

Research shows that large companies and the government sector have more reliable reporting than small companies (Kjellen et al., 1986). The reporting reliability also varies between different branches of industry. Differences in reporting reliability are to a large extent explained by differences in the incentives. 

Let us now turn to the present case. Workers and supervisors inclination to report accidents can be analysed in terms of action alternatives, the safe act to report an accident and the unsafe act to refrain from reporting the 

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