Not working to rule: Understanding procedural violations at work

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0925-7535(97)00073-8

Abstract

This paper begins by presenting a brief synopsis of the literature regarding the relationship between rule violations and accidents. The paper goes on to report a study of UK railway shunters' motives for rule violations. Violations are defined as behaviours that involve deliberate deviations from the written rules. Preliminary investigation elicited the motives to be included in the main questionnaire survey which required 36 shunters to rate the importance of various motives for violating. Generally, violations were perceived to be the result of a well-intentioned desire to get the job done. Together with previous analysis of shunting accidents, observations of, and discussions with shunters in the workplace, the results of this study were used to develop a classification of violations which includes situational, exceptional and routine violations. Erroneous behaviours that also involved deviations from rules were recorded as a separate category, namely unintentional violations. The results of the study, together with the findings of other research in this area, are used to describe a model for the investigation of violating behaviour in an organizational setting. This model depicts the factors that promote violations at work and, as such, may aid managers and health and safety practitioners to develop appropriate preventative measures.