System dynamics modelling of occupational safety : a case study aproach

Abstract

Occupational safety is gaining a higher profile across all sectors of the United Kingdom's economy. This is largely a result of developments in legislation, increased indemnity insurance and the successful promotion of safety practice through the work of the Health and Safety Executive and the writings of health and safety professionals. This thesis has been undertaken to develop a dynamic simulation model of occupational safety strategy using system dynamics and empirically test it in an industrial setting. The work also seeks to capture a measure of the suitability of the occupational safety model as a pedagogic and decision-making aid. The results show that the occupational safety model was successfully developed, tested and evaluated within a firm. A range of alternative scenarios which suggested reductions in accidents at work and the costs of running a safety management system were predicted by the model. The relevant managers of the industrial enterprise were able to appreciate the model's capability for acting as an instruction tool to improve safety in the workplace. They were also able to judge the usefulness of the model for reducing occupational accidents and their related costs.