Safety climate in an automobile manufacturing plant: The effects of work environment, job communication and safety attitudes on accidents and unsafe behaviour

Abstract

Purpose

The study aims to examine the safety attitudes of workers, supervisors and managers in a UK‐based car manufacturing plant, and their relationship with unsafe behaviour and accidents.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire methodology is used to measure safety attitudes and perceptions. The data are analysed using factor analysis and hierarchical multiple regression.

Findings

The factor structure of the safety climate at the plant comprised three factors: managers' concern for safety; workers' response to safety; conflict between production and safety, which correspond to those found in previous studies in the UK manufacturing sector. Whilst safety climate did not predict accident involvement at the plant, workers' response to safety and conflict between production and safety significantly predicted unsafe behaviour. Perceptions of the work environment had important effects as a significant predictor of both accidents and unsafe behaviour. However, job communication failed to predict either safety outcome. There was little difference in the strength of the safety climate perceived across hierarchical levels.

Research limitations/implications

It is recommended that future research should examine the direct effects of organisational factors beyond the strictures of the “safety culture” framework.

Practical implications

Safety interventions need to focus on how individuals perceive their immediate work environment, as well as improving safety policy and procedures, as these perceptions have most direct influence on safety outcomes.

Originality/value

This paper offers new direction for researchers and advice for those designing safety interventions aimed at reducing accidents.

Citation

Clarke, S. (2006), "Safety climate in an automobile manufacturing plant: The effects of work environment, job communication and safety attitudes on accidents and unsafe behaviour", Personnel Review, Vol. 35 No. 4, pp. 413-430. https://doi.org/10.1108/00483480610670580