title: The effect of equipment proximity on safe performance in a manufacturing setting.
abstract: We examined the effect of equipment proximity on the safe performance of 3 assembly workers in a manufacturing setting. After a baseline period in which protective eyewear was kept 6.1 m from employee workstations, task clarification was used to inform participants to wear their eyewear while they worked. Next, the eyewear was moved to 1.5 m from employee workstations. After a return to the 6.1-m condition, the eyewear was again positioned 1.5 m from workstations. Results indicate that task clarification alone was ineffective, but safe performance increased when eyewear was stored in close proximity to employees. A social validity measure suggested that safe performance among the employees increased to levels comparable to that of an exemplary employee.
authors.affiliation: Florida Institute of Technology.
authors.forename: O Elizabeth
authors.initials: OE
authors.lastname: Abellon
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Wilder
mesh_terms: D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000328:Adult; D005131:Eye Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005135:Eye Protective Devices / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012449:Safety
keywords: behavior-based safety; protective eyewear; proximity; response effort; safety