Reviewing Heinrich: Dislodging Two Myths from the Practice of Safety

Abstract

Safety is a professional specialty in which myths have become standardized and deeply embedded. This chapter examines two myths that should be dislodged from the practice of safety: 1. Unsafe acts of workers are the principle causes of occupational accidents. 2. Reducing accident frequency will achieve an equivalent reduction in injury severity. Safety professionals must do more to inform about and refute these myths so that they may be dislodged. The chapter discusses Heinrich's causation theory: the 88—10—2 ratios. Heinrich emphasized improving the performance of the individual worker, rather than improving the work system established by management. The chapter presents a review of the origin of certain premises that have been accepted as truisms by many educators and safety practitioners, how they evolved and changed over time, and to examine their validity.

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