Safety priority, safety rules, safety participation and safety behaviour: the mediating role of safety training

Objectives. This study explores the effects of employee perception of the management’s safety priority, safety rules and safety training on safety participation and safety behaviour decided by management, as well as the mediating role of safety training on the other four dimensions. Methods. The study covers employees working in 27 metal companies classed as hazardous/very hazardous in Turkey. The research data were collected by surveying 822 employees in the metal sector. Collected data were tested through explanatory and confirmatory factor analyses, in that order. Results. The findings of this analysis indicated statistically direct, positive effects of safety priority on safety rules and safety training, such an effect of safety rules on safety training, and again such effects of safety training on safety participation and safety behaviour. Besides, indirect relationships were detected between safety priority and safety rules and safety participation, and safety behaviour through the mediating role of safety training. Conclusion. Employee participation in health and safety issues as well as safe behaviour in the workplace depend on management prioritizing health and safety issues as much as production, formulating safe working rules, procedures and practices using comprehensive and regular training programmes.