The accident risk management questionnaire (ARM-Q): a report on two validation studies

Abstract

Safety is a major concern in the modern workplace and it is now not uncommon to see safety attitude questionnaires used in selection, as well as training settings. As with any other psychometric instrument, it is essential that the usage of such tests be justified through validation studies. This paper reports on two validation studies of the Accident Risk Management Questionnaire (ARM-Q), an instrument that is widely used for selection and training purposes in Australia and overseas. The first study analysed the profiles of 159 transport workers and found tentative evidence for the factorial validity of the ARM-Q. The second study examined the predictive validity of the questionnaire. ARM-Q scores were collected from 680 employees working for 14 different road transport companies in Australia. In the months that followed, data were also collected on safety measures such as accident rates, workers’ compensation costs, and hours lost through accidents. Meta-analytic techniques were then used to estimate the relationship between scores on the ARM-Q and these safety indicators. The results showed small but reliable relationships, supporting the test developer’s claims that the instrument has predictive validity in work settings such as those found in the present study.