Oregon Construction Contractors (CCB) Practice Test

Can a safer workplace potentially decrease productivity?

1. Yes, always

2. No, never

3. Only in specific industries

4. Not typically

The correct answer is: Yes, always

The focus of workplace safety is primarily on protecting employees and minimizing risks associated with injuries and accidents. A safer workplace is typically designed to create an environment where employees can operate without the fear of harm, which can lead to improved morale and reduced absenteeism. While the intention is to enhance productivity by ensuring that workers feel secure, it is possible in certain scenarios for the implementation of safety measures to temporarily decrease productivity. For instance, if extensive safety protocols introduce additional steps for completing tasks, such as requiring more time for proper equipment handling or increased training, workers might find their workflows disrupted. This situation could effectively lead to initial drops in output as teams adjust to new procedures. However, it is crucial to recognize that the long-term benefits of a safer workplace often outweigh these short-term impacts. Over time, with improved safety practices, productivity tends to stabilize or even increase as workers become accustomed to new processes and environment, minimizing the risk of accidents that could lead to more significant downtime. Though some people might argue that in certain industries, work processes could be altered or slowed due to safety measures, this does not hold true universally across all workplaces. Generally, observing that higher safety standards lead to more sustainable productivity in the long run is the prevailing conclusion in workplace studies