An Evaluation of Feedback-Based Interventions on Promoting Use of Personal Protective Equipment in a School

ABSTRACT

Employees working in human services are more likely to receive injuries on the job than in many other industries. Human service organizations that serve individuals who engage in dangerous behavior often require employees to adhere to safety guidelines, including utilizing protective equipment to minimize the risk of injuries. Despite protective equipment being prescribed in students’ treatment plans at a private day school, employees were often observed working with students without the prescribed protective equipment. Results from a Performance Diagnostic Checklist-Safety assessment varied across three classrooms. Therefore, individualized treatment packages were implemented in each classroom. Results indicated increased use of prescribed protective equipment across all three classrooms and an overall decrease in staff injuries sustained by student contact.

KEYWORDS:

• Behavioral safety
• functional behavior assessment
• human services
• injury prevention
• performance diagnostic checklist—safety (PDC-Safety)

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Emily Rotola, Madison Pitts, and Cameron Harrington for their assistance with this study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).