Abstract
The current study explored underlying beliefs regarding work safety among a sample of experienced Australian electrical workers. A qualitative research methodology using the theory of planned behaviour as a framework was employed. A series of interviews and focus groups with licensed electrical workers (N = 46) were analyzed using thematic content analysis. Beliefs were classified as advantages (e.g. personal safety of self and co-workers), disadvantages (e.g., inconvenience to customer/clients and workload), referents (e.g., supervisors, work colleagues, customers), barriers (e.g., time and cost), and facilitators (e.g., training and knowledge, equipment availability) of safety adherence. The belief basis of the theory of planned behavior was a useful framework for exploring workers’ safety beliefs. The identified beliefs can inform future research about the important factors influencing safe work decisions and inform strategies to promote safer workplace decision making within the electrical safety context.
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Some findings from the full-text:
- Most of the participants reported beliefs that supported safety behaviours and that the personal safety for themselves and their co-workers were the main benefits of safe work practices.
- Participants did not cite disadvantages to safe work practices but did mention some practical constrains such as the additional time and cost of safe work behaviours.
- Concern from some participants was held regarding the potential legal and work consequences of reporting an incident; this highlights the perceived trade-off between safe work practices/reporting and potential liability.
- The paperwork resulting from reporting an incident was also seen as a barrier to reporting.
- Moreover fear was seen as a barrier to safe work practices, such as embarrassment for making a mistake, being punished by the employer or fines and legal repercussions from the regulator.
- Whereas most participants reported general approval from stakeholders for safe work behaviours, there were some suggestions that some individuals did not support safe work practices when pragmatic issues related to time, cost or litigation.
- Participants felt that the level of training and knowledge and availability of required equipment and documents were the most important enabling factors for performing safe work practices. As above, the main barriers were practical constrains like time (e.g., not enough time to perform risk assessments for every job), cost and litigation.
- Most people were supportive of the use of appropriate equipment and PPE, although, expectedly, a barrier to PPE was the trade-offs with comfort, dexterity, movement etc.
- Codes of practice and other guidance documents being seen as too long, complicated or not specific enough to their jobs were seen a primary barriers to using these documents.
The authors go on to provide some thought on how to apply these findings to practice.
Authors: White, K.M., Jimmieson, N.L., Obst, P.L., Gee, P., Haneman, L., O’Brien-McInally, B., & Cockshaw, W. (2016). Safety Science, 82:164-173.
Study link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2015.09.008
Link to the LinkedIn article: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/identifying-safety-beliefs-among-australian-workers-ben-hutchinson
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