Organizational Safety Support Research Articles

Emotional Exhaustion in Healthcare Workers: Moving Beyond Coping Skills to Improve Organizational Conditions.

Emotional exhaustion (EE)-the first stage of burnout-is related to preventable work environment exposures. We examined the understudied impact of organizational support for safety (OSS) and safety hazards (SH) on EE in a mixed licensed and unlicensed population of healthcare workers (HCWs). A work environment exposures survey was conducted in five US public healthcare facilities in 2018-2019. A total of 1059 questionnaires were collected from a predominantly female population of mixed HCWs. Mean EE scores were higher among women, direct care workers, and younger subjects. In linear regression models, EE was positively associated with SH, emotional labor, psychological demands, physical demands, job strain, assault, and negative acts, while OSS was negatively associated. Safety hazard s both mediated and moderated the relationship between OSS and EE. When perception of SH is high, OSS has less impact on reducing EE, suggesting a need to effectively put safety policies to practice for improving EE in HCWS.

Ownership and Support: Boosting Performance and Well-Being in Safety

Aim/Purpose: The aim of this study is to examine the role of psychological ownership for safety in boosting employee performance and the impact of Perceived Organizational Support for Safety (POSS) on workers’ well-being, considering the psychological aspects associated with workplace safety and exploring the mediating effect of employees’ commitment. Background: It is widely recognized that promoting workplace safety goes beyond purely physical measures and must also consider the psychological aspects associated with safety management. However, while some studies have shown the direct effect of POSS and Safety Ownership on safety outcomes, very few studies have explored the underlying mediating mechanism, as well as their impact on distal outcomes, such as well-being and performance. Methodology: The cross-sectional study was conducted on a convenience sample of a metal mechanic enterprise’s employees through an online self-assessment questionnaire. Contribution: This study contributes to understanding the mechanisms through which psychological ownership for safety, organizational support for safety, and psychological factors related to safety collectively influence organizational outcomes. Findings: Two indirect significant effects are described. The first is between POSS and well-being, and the second significant relation is between psychological ownership for safety and job performance. When employees perceive that their organization cares about safety, they will experience a stronger sense of commitment and, in turn, they will be more satisfied in the work context, and they will improve their job performance. Recommendation for Researchers: Researchers should take a transdisciplinary approach to enable the integration of knowledge and perspectives from different fields that are essential to understanding the full range of implications and applications of safety management. Future Research: It could be interesting to investigate a different point of view on safety (e.g., top management or health and safety officers) and explore concerns about how to successfully communicate and transfer safety climate during remote working activities.

Health Care Organization Policies for Employee Safety and COVID-19 Pandemic Response: A Mixed-Methods Study.

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic impacted the well-being of health care workers. We examined the association between prepandemic perceptions of perceived organizational support for safety (using NOSACQ-50), safety hazards and the pandemic's impact on individual workers and institutions. Questionnaires from health care staff of five public health care facilities were collected in 2018 ( n = 1059) and 2021 ( n = 1553). In 2021, 17 workers were interviewed from the same facilities. Interviewees reported that their organizations struggled to communicate due to changing guidelines, inadequate personal protective equipment, training, and infection control, early in the pandemic. Questionnaire reports of decreased staffing and increased workload during the pandemic were associated with lower baseline NOSACQ scores. Survey findings predicted some variation in organizational response to the pandemic. Better organizational policies for employee safety and pandemic planning could improve health care institutions' preparedness.

Improving the Safety-Performance Nexus: A Study on the Moderating and Mediating Influence of Work Motivation in the Causal Link between Occupational Health and Safety Management (OHSM) Practices and Work Performance in the Oil and Gas Sector.

The preventive systems required to ensure workers are protected from occupational accidents and injuries dwell heavily on effective occupational health and safety management (OHSM) systems and practices. In this study, the concepts of the job demand-resource model (JD-R), self-determination theory (SDT), and perceived organizational support for safety (POSS) theory were adopted to develop a holistic conceptual model that seeks to unravel moderating and mediating effects of work motivation on the causal link between OHSM practices and work performance in the oil and gas sector. The study measured OHSM practices from six distinct safety dimensional perspectives and work performance using a two-dimensional distinct construct that assesses different aspects of positive work behaviours. A quantitative research approach through the structural equation modelling analysis technique was applied. A total of 1310 participants were selected across three major organizations that represent downstream, upstream, and middle stream of the Ghanaian oil and gas sector. Respondents were recruited through stratified, purposive, and convenient sampling techniques. The findings from the path estimate through the SEM analysis suggested that OHSM practices positively and significantly influenced both safety performance and task performance of employees. However, OHSM practices indicated a higher positive significant influence on task performance than safety performance. The significant influence of OHSM practices on both task and safety performance was significantly moderated and partially mediated by work motivation, while both task performance and safety performance were significantly determined by work motivation. In this study, the dimensions for assessing work performance extend the performance theories established in previous literature, whereas the integrated multifaceted OHSM practices employed diverge from the traditional individualistic approach by providing insights into more flexible managerial practices that are employee-centred and outcome-oriented. The findings from this study address the need for organizations to appreciate the importance of managing workers’ perception of OHSM practices as a motivational drive that induces work performance.

EFFECTS OF OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY PRACTICE AND SUPERVISORY ENFORCEMENT ON THE SAFETY REPORTING: EXPLORATORY FACTOR ANALYSIS

This paper analyses the construct validity and reliability of a new developed questionnaire measuring the effects of the occupational safety practice and supervisory enforcement on the safety and health reporting among the oil palm labours. The exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted to determine the underlying dimensions between variables and refine the proposed theory. The EFA was performed using the statistical analysis software SPSS. The questionnaire for all constructs was designed by adopting and customizing questionnaires from previous studies and reviewed by the language, content and statistical experts before it was administered on 100 oil palm Federal Land Development Authority (FELDA) labours. All of the variables passed the Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity (p-value < 0.05) and the measure of sampling adequacy using Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO > 0.60). The Cronbach’s Alpha value for the occupational safety practices for Organizational Safety Support (OSS), Safety Knowledge and Emergency Trainings (SKET), Compliance to Safety and Health Regulations (CSHR), and the Safety Procedures and Risk Management (SPRM) components were 0.957, 0.957, 0.940 and 0.936 respectively. The Cronbach’s Alpha for the supervisory enforcement construct was 0.930, while the value for safety reporting was 0.976 for component 1 and 0.936 for component 2. The validity and reliability of the questionnaires to assess the effect of occupational safety practice and the supervisory enforcement on the safety and health reporting among the Malaysian oil palm labours is confirmed.

Organizational Safety Support Practices and Employee Performance in the Department of Health Services in Makueni County, Kenya

Many organizations across the globe have adopted occupational safety practices notably organizational safety support in order to improve the working conditions and eventually promote employee performance. However the relationship between organizational safety support and employee performance, has not been well established especially in Kenyan public sector a situation that informed the current study. This study adopted a descriptive research design and targeted an overall 428 employee population. A stratified proportionate sampling was used to obtain a sample of 207 respondents. Structured questionnaires were the main instruments of data collection. Both descriptive and inferential statistics was used to analyze data aided by SPSS. Study results were presented using tables, charts and graphs. The study realized a 72.2% response rate. Key findings of the study included; the department of health services in the county had embraced various occupational safety practices. Organizational safety support was found to influence 58.8% of the variations in employee performance. Through safety support practices the department had provided a conducive working environment which in turn had translated to high staff productivity. The findings of the study may find use among public sector managers and policy makers. To uphold research ethics, NACOSTI, MKU ERC and the Governor's Office, Government of Makueni County permission was sought before data was collected.

The effect of perceived organizational support for safety and organizational commitment on employee safety behavior: a meta-analysis

Recently, the significance of organizational support and commitment in workplace safety has gained much recognition. The improvement of individual safety behavior needs more convincing and effective evidence. This study constructed a comprehensive theoretical model and used meta-analysis to examine the relationships between perceived organizational support for safety, organizational commitment and employee safety behavior. Support was found for the study’s hypothesis that both perceived organizational support for safety and organizational commitment have a positive association with employee safety behavior, with the latter demonstrating the stronger relationship. However, organizational commitment was not mediated by perceived organizational support for safety and employee safety behavior. Results show that the safety behavior of employees in general industries and developed regions is more vulnerable to perceived organizational support for safety and organizational commitment than that in high-risk industries and developing regions. The implications of the findings and suggestions for further research are discussed.

Modelling antecedents of safety compliance: Incorporating theory from the technological acceptance model

Research into the technology acceptance model (TAM) and safety performance was used to develop a model in which perceived organizational and supervisor support for safety affect employees’ compliance with a risk-awareness safety procedure via cognitive–motivational mechanisms. Cross-sectional survey data were collected from 374 employees of a large Australian mining company. Results of path analysis show that both perceived organizational safety support and perceived supervisor safety support influenced compliance with the risk-awareness procedure, although through different cognitive–motivational processes. Perceived organizational safety support was significantly associated with compliance via perceived usefulness of the risk-awareness procedure. On the other hand, perceived supervisor safety support was significantly related to compliance via safety motivation. The implications for theory and practice are discussed.

Effects of Occupational Health and Safety Practices on Organizational Commitment, Work Alienation, and Job Performance: Using the PLS-SEM Approach

<p>Recent occupational accidents urged enterprises to put more importance on occupational health and safety practices. The pressure by both the public authority and the business and social milieu has played an important role in it. The present study investigated occupational health and safety (OHS) practices in five dimensions, i.e. safety procedures and risk management, safety and health rules, first aid support and training, occupational accident prevention, and organizational safety support. A survey form was developed in order to investigate the effect of OHS practices on work alienation, organizational commitment, and job performance as a throughput of such practices. The data set obtained from private sector enterprises was analyzed by structural equation modeling using least squares method. The findings of the analysis suggested that such OHS practices as safety procedures and risk management, safety and health rules, first aid support and training, and organizational safety support had a positive effect on organizational commitment. Moreover, it was seen that safety and health rules and organizational safety support decreased alienation, where first aid support and training played a role in increasing work alienation. Finally, safety procedures and risk management, safety and health rules, and organizational safety support had indirect effects on job performance of the employees.</p>

Hospital unit safety climate: Relationship with nurses' adherence to recommended use of facial protective equipment

BackgroundDespite the existence of formal guidelines for the acute health care sector, nurses' adherence to recommended use of facial protective equipment (FPE) to prevent occupational transmission of communicable respiratory disease remains suboptimal. In addition to individual factors such as knowledge and education, group factors such as shared perceptions of organizational support for safety may influence adherence. These group safety climate perceptions can differ depending on the pace and type of work, local leadership, and organizational structure of each unit.MethodsAn analysis of a data set from a cross-sectional survey of 1,074 nurses in 45 units of 6 acute care hospitals was conducted. Variance components analysis was performed to examine the variance in perceptions of safety climate and adherence between units. Hierarchical linear modeling using unit-level safety climate dimensions was conducted to determine if unit-level safety climate dimensions were predictors of nurses' adherence to FPE.ResultsFindings revealed statistically significant unit variances in adherence and 5 of the 6 unit-level safety climate dimensions (P < .05). Furthermore, a hierarchical model suggested that tenure and unit-level communication were significantly associated with increased adherence to FPE (P < .05).ConclusionUnit-level safety climate measures varied significantly between units. Strategies to improve unit-level communication regarding safety should assist in improving adherence to FPE.

Predictive Power of Injury Reporting Rate and its Dimensions by Perceived Organizational Support for Safety

Background and Purpose: Researchers have mentioned that perceived organizational support for safety may predict occupational accidents and psychological distresses in the workplace. The present study examined the degree of perceived organizational support for safety related to injuries reporting rate and its dimensions among workers' Isfahan Steel Company. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A self-administered anonymous was distributed to 189 workers. The survey included demographic factors, injuries reporting rate and its components (physical symptoms, psychological symptoms and accidents) and perceived organizational support for safety. The data were analyzed using Multivariate and correlation techniques. RESULTS: The results showed that: (1) there were significant correlations between perceived organizational support with injuries reporting rate and its' dimensions namely physical and psychological symptoms (P 0.050); (3) Multivariate analysis indicated that perceived organizational support significantly predicted respectively about 14, 13 and 10 percent of the variance of variables of injuries reporting rate, physical symptoms and psychological symptoms (P CONCLUSION: Improving employees' perception of support can be important to prevent the development of job injuries and to promote employees' safety and well-being. [Kiani F, *Khodabakhsh MR, Kiani F. Predictive Power of Injuries Reporting Rate and its' Dimensions by Perceived Organizational Support for Safety. IJHS 2014; 2(4): 36-45] http://jhs.mazums.ac.ir Key words: Safety, Support, Injury, Mental disorders, Somatoform disorders, Employees  Language: en

The role of ‘workplace family’ support on worker health, exhaustion and pain

The goal of this study was to improve understanding of the potential health benefits of social support at work. We utilized 2002 GSS data to examine the relative influence of workplace support on self-reported health, exhaustion and experience of persistent pain in a sample of 1602 workers. Building on previous Demand-Control-Support models, we examined co-worker, supervisor, and organizational safety support (conceptualized as ‘workplace family’) in concert with job demands, job control and work-family conflict as predictors of worker health measures. We further tested the extent to which work-family conflict acted as a mediator between family and work characteristics and worker health outcomes. We found that increased co-worker support in the workplace was associated with better worker self-reported health, lower exhaustion and less pain. In addition, higher levels of perceived organizational safety support were associated with better self-reported health and lowered exhaustion. There is little evidence that work-family conflict mediates between work and family characteristics and worker health, and work-family conflict does not mediate the relationship between workplace family measures and worker health. We discuss results in light of workers’ changing and expanding definitions of family, with implications for changes in the organization of the workplace to improve workers’ health.

Perceived organizational support for safety and employee safety voice: The mediating role of coworker support for safety.

In the present study, we modeled 2 sources of safety support (perceived organizational support for safety and perceived coworker support for safety) as predictors of employee safety voice, that is, speaking out in an attempt to change unsafe working conditions. Drawing on social exchange and social impact theories, we hypothesized and tested a mediated model predicting employee safety voice using a cross-sectional survey of urban bus drivers (n = 213) in the United Kingdom. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that perceived coworker support for safety fully mediated the relationship between perceived organizational support for safety and employee safety voice. This study adds to the employee voice literature by evaluating the important role that coworkers can play in encouraging others to speak out about safety issues. Implications for research and practice related to change-oriented safety communication are discussed.

Violence to Probation Staff: Patterns and Managerial Responses

AbstractThis article examines the impact of violence perpetrated against probation officers. It presents empirical evidence based upon work carried out under the ESRC Violence Research Programme. It is argued that the managerial response to violence has been largely defensive and piecemeal. Professional responses to violence are context‐bound, while risk assessment is largely confined to the potential harm to the general public posed by offenders. The article concludes by arguing that more attention needs to be given to the evaluation of management responses to violence including appropriate training, and the greater organizational support for safety at work.