Behavioural Determinants of Work Accidents and Absenteeism in a Metallurgical Enterprise

B. Gajdzik, J. Szymszal, Silesian University of Technology in Gliwice, Faculty of Materials Science and Metallurgy, Poland. D. Zwolińska, Higher School of Labour Safety Management in Katowice, Poland. The purpose of this study is to offer an interpretation of the relationship between accidents and employee absenteeism in terms of quantitative (statistical data on accidents and absenteeism) and qualitative (study of employee attitudes) evaluation. It has been assumed that the description using the results obtained from one group only is incomplete, because the rate of accidents is affected by the attitude of the staff, and in describing the behaviour of employees, the indicators of quality play an important role. The growing popularity of studies on employee behaviour results from the growing importance of human resources in companies. A metallurgical enterprise was selected for the case study.