The long-term effects of a token economy on safety performance in open-pit mining.

Reid et al. (1987) ran a trading-stamp token economy at an open-pit mine. Every worker could earn stamps for safe acts like wearing gear or reporting hazards.

They tracked lost-time injuries, days off, and accident costs for several years. No fancy lab—just the daily pit.

Injuries dropped by more than half the first year. Days lost and accident bills fell too, and the savings beat the stamp costs every year after.

The gains stuck even after the study ended. Tokens kept miners alive and the company in the black.

Bryant et al. (1984) paid methadone patients $10 and take-home doses for clean urine. Their relapse rates fell while the money flowed, but rose once pay stopped. K’s miners stayed safe years later—same tokens, longer tail.

Fisher (1979) warned big rewards might kill inner drive; he saw tooth-brushing slide a little after rich token weeks. K’s crew showed no such slip—safety stayed strong. The difference: miners earned stamps for rare, critical acts, not daily habits.

Leigh et al. (2015) showed escalating pay keeps smokers abstinent longer than flat pay. K used flat stamps yet still kept miners safe for years. In dangerous jobs, even steady small tokens pack a punch.

If you consult with factories, plants, or any crew that gets hurt too often, try a simple stamp or point store. Pin the tokens to clear safety steps—goggles on, lock-out done, near-miss reported. Track injuries for a month, then show the cost drop to management. You may fund the program itself and keep workers whole.