Citation

McGonagle AK, Kath LM. J. Saf. Res. 2010; 41(6): 475-479.

Affiliation

University of Connecticut, Department of Psychology, 406 Babbidge Road, Unit 1020 Storrs, CT, 06269-1020 USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, U.S. National Safety Council, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jsr.2010.09.002

PMID

21134512

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Work-safety tension arises when workers perceive that working safely is at odds with effectively doing their jobs. We proposed that workers' perceptions of work-safety tension would be associated with higher levels of perceived risk, which would, in turn, relate to worker injuries on the job. METHOD: Grocery store workers (n=600) completed an online survey and organizational worker injury reports were obtained for a two-year period following the survey. Survey results were linked to subsequent worker injuries using hierarchical generalized linear modeling. RESULTS: We found support for the proposed meso-mediation model: department work-safety tension predicted subsequent worker injuries, partially through an association with workers' risk perceptions. CONCLUSIONS: Safety researchers and consultants and organizational leaders should look beyond typically-examined safety climate constructs, such as management commitment to safety, and pay particular attention to workers' perceptions of work-safety tension.

Language: en