Introduction to Health and Safety at Work

Motivation
is the driving force behind the way a per-
son acts or the way in which people are stimulated to 
act. Involvement in the decision-making process in 
a meaningful way will improve motivation as will the use 
of incentive schemes. However, there are other import-
ant infl uences on motivation such as recognition and 
promotion opportunities, job security and job satisfac-
tion. Self-interest, in all its forms, is a signifi cant motiv-
ator and personal factor.
Perception
is the way in which people interpret the 
environment or the way in which a person believes or 
understands a situation. In health and safety, the percep-
tion of hazards is an important concern. Many accidents 
occur because people do not perceive that there is a 
risk. There are many common examples of this, including 
the use of personal protective equipment (such as hard 
hats) and guards on drilling machines and the wash-
ing of hands before meals. It is important to understand 
that when perception leads to an increased health and 
safety risk, it is not always caused by a conscious deci-
sion of the individual concerned. The stroboscopic effect 
caused by the rotation of a drill at certain speeds under 
fl uorescent lighting will make the drill appear stationary. 
It is a well-known phenomenon, especially among illusion-
ists, that people will often see what they expect to see 
rather than reality. Routine or repetitive tasks will reduce 
attention levels leading to the possibility of accidents.
Other personal factors which can affect health and 
safety include physical stature, age, experience, health, 
hearing, intelligence, language, skills, level of competence 
and qualifi cations.
Finally, memory is an important personal factor since 
it is infl uenced by training and experience. The effi ciency 
of memory varies considerably between people and 
during the lifetime of an individual. The overall health 
of a person can affect memory as can personal crises. 
Due to these possible problems with memory, important 
Figure 4.4
Poor working conditions.

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