Factors affecting employee safety productivity: an empirical study in an OHSAS 18001-certified organization

Objective. The purpose of the study is to examine the relationships between safety behaviours (safety compliance and safety participation), their determinants (safety motivation and knowledge of safety) and their antecedent (safety training) affecting employee safety productivity, an economic benefit of occupational health and safety (OHS). Methods. The study was carried out with employees participating in the basic OHS training, which is mandatory every 2 years for all personnel due to the related legal obligation. The data required for the research purpose were collected by surveying 453 employees. The collected data were then tested using the methods of exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis. Results. The findings of the analyses showed that safety training, safety knowledge, safety motivation and safety compliance affect the improvement of employee safety productivity, one of the economic benefits of OHS. The study also suggested that safety participation does not influence the improvement of employee productivity. Furthermore, a new scale concerning employee safety productivity has been brought to the safety literature. Conclusion. It is suggested that organizational managers wishing to increase employee safety productivity focus particularly on training regarding the safety knowledge, skills, motivation and compliance of employees.