Explanation and prediction of accidents using the path analysis approach in industrial units: The effect of safety performance and climate.

Abstract

The safety climate in an organization depends on people's understanding of the safety policies and procedures, as well as the value, importance, and priority of safety in the workplace. This study aimed to describe and predict accidents using the path analysis model (PAM) in industrial units though the analysis of the effect of safety performance and climate. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 294 workers in industrial units in Hamadan, a province in the western part of Iran. The data on safety performance and climate was collected using a questionnaire. The first part of the questionnaire was a short version inventory (with 25 items on safety climate) that was used to assess five variables of management commitment, supportive environment, training, personal safety prioritization, and perceived work pressure. Moreover, the safety performance was measured using 10 items on safety rules and participation. The PAM was used to describe the effects of safety climate and performance on accidents. The results showed that the safety climate had the strongest negative impact on work pressure and safety compliance toward accident, followed by safety participation, and quality of training. Moreover, the negative influence of safety climate on accident was mainly mediated by two variables: work pressure and safety participation toward accident. The work pressure had the strongest indirect and total influence on accidents. However, none of the variables had a direct effect on accidents. Training was the most important direct cause of promoting personal safety priority. The safety compliance was more effective than safety participation in reducing accidents rates. Therefore, it seems that perceived work pressure has an indirect effect on accidents which is mediated by other variables, mainly personal safety priority and safety performance.