Citation

McKelvey RK, Engen T, Peck MB. J. Saf. Res. 1973; 5(2): 90-96.

Affiliation

Brown University, Injury Control Research Lab

Copyright

(Copyright © 1973, U.S. National Safety Council, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

In real life, hazard detection is often a secondary function to the task in which a person is engaged, a factor not considered in many previous studies of vigilance. This study investigated subjects attentiveness to a warning device and their care and manipulating a power tool in a simulated working environment under various incentive conditions. The subjects, primary task was manipulation of a modified power punch press; at the same time they were to respond to a warning signal indicating possible press malfunction (secondary task) and to avoid manipulative errors that could cause injury (accidents). The main finding was that a balanced presentation of positive and negative incentives increased subjects hazard awareness without significantly sacrificing performance efficiency.