Proactive Occupational Safety and Health Management: Promoting Good Health and Good Business

This research assessed the impact of organizational approaches to occupational safety and health (OSH) management on organizational performance, safety climate, employee attitudes, health and well-being. Interviews with health and safety personnel, company directors and worker representatives were used to categorize the organizations according to their approaches to OSH management, using the Continuous Improvement Cycle model (Budworth and Khan, 2003). A cross-sectional survey of 2067 employees from these organizations examined the impact of company size, industrial sector and approach to OSH management on indicators of organizational performance and employee outcomes. A structured questionnaire assessed demographic characteristics, organization and job tenure, job satisfaction, organizational commitment, intention to quit and job motivation, safety climate, self-reported absence, performance and work-related ill-health. Organizations were also asked to provide data on profit, performance, accidents and absence indices. Organizations adopting a proactive approach to OSH management reported higher profit margins and lower accident rates, however these differences were not statistically significant. Organizations classified as ‘very good’ were found to show significantly more positive safety climate perceptions across eight out of the nine safety climate dimensions. Employees in proactive organizations were significantly more committed to their organizations and showed greater job satisfaction than employees in organizations categorized as ‘yet to be fully engaged/complier’. Positive safety climate perceptions and organizational attitudes were associated with better self-reported physical and mental health. The findings add to the validation of the CIC model as an assessment and learning tool which may support the transition of organizations from reactive to proactive safety culture.

• Record URL:
  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2015.06.010
• Record URL:
  http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0925753515001526
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/09257535
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Abstract reprinted with permission of Elsevier.
• Authors:
  • Haslam, Cheryl
  • O’Hara, Jane
  • Kazi, Aadil
  • Twumasi, Ricardo
  • Haslam, Roger
• Publication Date: 2016-1

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: References;
• Pagination: pp 99-108
• Serial:
  • Safety Science
  • Volume: 81
  • Publisher: Elsevier
  • ISSN: 0925-7535
  • Serial URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/09257535

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Attitudes; Education and training; Industrial accidents; Occupational safety; Prevention; Quality control; Risk assessment; Safety culture; Safety management
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Education and Training; Safety and Human Factors; Transportation (General); I10: Economics and Administration; I70: Traffic and Transport;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01582354
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Nov 30 2015 8:31AM