H.W. Heinrich’s domino safety theory effectively addresses accident causation in industries. It elaborates on the different elements that characterize occupational health and safety. Heinrich argues that many accidents experienced within the workplace are often caused by an unsafe working environment and negligence by employees. This is true, as studies have established that many employers do their best to provide employees with safeguards, but most of them do not use them as required.
According to the theory, 88% of accidents occur following a sequence of unsafe acts carried out by employees. This element is often determined by the traits that someone inherits from their parents, thus nothing much can be done with regard to preventing their pronouncement other than managing the social environment. In other cases, some employers tend to ignore the safety needs of their employees by providing unsafe working conditions, which eventually contribute to accidents within the workplace.
Heinrich correctly identifies the best solution to the challenge of accidents within the workplace. Providing a safe working environment and training employees on occupational health and safety can play a pivotal role in reducing and/or eliminating accidents. Effective monitoring and evaluation of the way employees execute various tasks can also be an effective way of minimizing accidents in the workplace.
The ability of the employer to achieve this feat depends highly on the efforts made in enforcing laws and policies governing the workplace. It is important to take disciplinary actions against employees who exhibit a high degree of non-conformance to the safety regulations provided. Proving a safe working environment yields many benefits for both the employer and the employees. The employer benefits from having a healthy and highly productive workforce, while the employees tend to benefit from reduced costs incurred in treating the injuries and absenteeism.