Incorporating technological acceptance model into safety compliance of construction workers in Australia

Abstract

Safety compliance is the mandatory and core safety behavior that should be undertaken by employees to maintain safety in the workplace. This study aims to model the antecedents of safety compliance of construction workers in Australia, drawing on the technological acceptance model (TAM) and distinguishing between deep compliance and surface compliance. Through a questionnaire survey around Australia, this study collected data from 239 construction workers. The results indicated that perceived usefulness and perceived use of ease positively influenced deep compliance and negatively influenced surface compliance. The positive effect of management commitment to safety on deep compliance was mediated by perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use, while the negative effect of management commitment to safety on surface compliance was mediated by perceived ease of use only. This study extends TAM to safety compliance of construction workers and differentiates deep compliance from surface compliance, thus contributing to the body of knowledge relating to construction safety. This study also contributes to practice by providing safety managers with an understanding of the way to enhance deep compliance and reduce surface compliance.