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Biomedical subjects

H G Fitch

Publications and source records attributed to H G Fitch.

3 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1986

Behavioral technology for reducing occupational exposures to styrene.

We conducted a test of the usefulness of behavioral methods to control occupational health problems by reducing workers' exposures to toxic chemicals. Four plastics workers were trained in nine behaviors selected for potential to reduce their exposures to styrene, a common chemical with multiple toxic effects. Behavioral measures indicated that the workers quickly came to emit most of the behaviors. Measures of air samples indicated that large decreases in exposures to styrene accompanied the changes in behaviors for the three workers who had been selected because they most needed relief from their exposures and because they had opportunities to control their exposures by the ways they behaved.

Behavior Therapy↗
PubMed1976

Safe and unsafe behavior and its modification.

After discussing some of the limitations of existing behavioral safety research, the authors propose a new approach to the problem. The approach is based on systematically controlling the psychological environment by precisely defining and rewarding safe behabiors and extinguishing unsafe behaviors. This approach to changing behavior is broadly designated the experimental analysis of behavior, and comprises two separate components, applied behavior analysis and applied behavior management. Application of the principles to the problem of increasing the frequency of safe behaviors and decreasing the frequency of unsafe behaviors is illustrated with two examples, one real, one hypothetical. A conclusion is drawn that researchers pursuing behavioral approaches to accident reduction should utilize the methods and technology of applied behavior analysis and management.

Accident Prevention↗