title: Organizational factors influencing serious occupational accidents.
abstract: The aim of this article is to examine organizational factors influencing serious occupational accidents. The study was part of a larger project investigating 99 serious occupational accidents in southern Finland. A workplace analysis and an accident analysis were done at accident sites. In connection with this investigation, 73 victims, 91 foremen, and 83 co-workers were interviewed with a structured questionnaire. The results showed that the need to save time, tight schedules, and a lack of caution had a greater influence on accidents than did the foremen, co-workers, customers, professional pride, curiosity, or the wage system. Big companies had the lowest risk of serious occupational accidents. Accident risk was significantly greater for subcontractors than for main contractors.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Occupational Health, Department of Occupational Safety, Vantaa, Finland.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Salminen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Saari
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Saarela
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Räsänen
mesh_terms: D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009937:Organizational Objectives; D016134:Organizational Policy; D012307:Risk Factors; D012449:Safety; D016526:Workload / Q000523:psychology