Predicting safety culture: the roles of employer, operations manager and safety professional.
BACKGROUND
This study explores predictive factors in safety culture.


METHODS
In 2008, a sample 939 employees was drawn from 22 departments of a telecoms firm in five regions in central Taiwan. The sample completed a questionnaire containing four scales: the employer safety leadership scale, the operations manager safety leadership scale, the safety professional safety leadership scale, and the safety culture scale. The sample was then randomly split into two subsamples. One subsample was used for measures development, one for the empirical study.


RESULTS
A stepwise regression analysis found four factors with a significant impact on safety culture (R²=0.337): safety informing by operations managers; safety caring by employers; and safety coordination and safety regulation by safety professionals. Safety informing by operations managers (ß=0.213) was by far the most significant predictive factor.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings of this study provide a framework for promoting a positive safety culture at the group level.
Department of Safety, Health and Environmental Engineering, HungKuang University, 34 Chung-Chie Road, Shalu, Taichung County, 43302, Taiwan, ROC. tcwu@sunrise.hk.edu.tw
Tsung-Chih
TC
Wu
Chia-Hung
CH
Lin
Sen-Yu
SY
Shiau
D000288:Administrative Personnel; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007857:Leadership; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016272:Occupational Health; D015279:Organizational Culture; D024382:Professional Role; D012044:Regression Analysis; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan