Behavioral Perspectives on Variability in Human Behavior as Part of Process Safety

ABSTRACT

Process safety involves worker decisions at various points in an extended process, and much remains unknown regarding sources of variability in worker behavior at these decision points. This paper seeks to explain why some workers may be deviating from sanctioned policies and procedures. Risky choice is analyzed through discussion of positive and negative reinforcement, habituation in terms of respondent and operant behavior, risk discounting, and consequence dimensions that include a review of prospect theory, heuristics, and behavioral decision theory. Recommendations are made for improving our understanding of sources of variability in process safety by conducting systematic research on the perspectives reviewed.