Advancing a sociotechnical systems approach to workplace safety – developing the conceptual framework

Abstract

Traditional efforts to deal with the enormous problem of workplace safety have proved insufficient, as they have tended to neglect the broader sociotechnical environment that surrounds workers. Here, we advocate a sociotechnical systems approach that describes the complex multi-level system factors that contribute to workplace safety. From the literature on sociotechnical systems, complex systems and safety, we develop a sociotechnical model of workplace safety with concentric layers of the work system, socio-organisational context and the external environment. The future challenges that are identified through the model are highlighted.

Abstract

Practitioner Summary: Understanding the environmental, organisational and work system factors that contribute to workplace safety will help to develop more effective and integrated solutions to deal with persistent workplace safety problems. Solutions to improve workplace safety need to recognise the broad sociotechnical system and the respective interactions between the system elements and levels.

Keywords::

• sociotechnical system
• workplace safety
• complexity
• system levels
• system interactions

Acknowledgements

The authors thank the following individuals for their very helpful comments on earlier versions of this paper: Larry Hettinger, Peter Buckle, Yang Miang Goh, Alex Kirlik, William Shaw and Helen Wellman. Appreciation is also extended to Margaret Rothwell for her editorial assistance.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

^1. Note the reliance on the specific definition of ‘complex’ as derived from complexity theory. It is especially important to note that ‘complex’ does not mean the same thing as ‘complicated’.