Workgroups' propensity to comply with safety rules: the influence of micro-macro organisational factors

Abstract

This article is about workgroup carefulness or propensity to comply with safety rules and various organisational factors that may impact on this behaviour. Empirical data concern 1061 workgroups drawn from a random sample of 97 manufacturing plants. A model combining micro and macro organisational factors is developed and tested by a multilevel analysis. Micro level factors refer to variables measuring work processes and hazards, workgroup cohesiveness and cooperation, supervisor's experience and approach to safety management, while macro level factors consist in variables measuring top management commitment in occupational safety and socio-economic characteristics of firms. Results support the hypothesis that micro organisational factors are the primary determinants of the propensity to safety compliance behaviour, with social relationships variables at the shopfloor level being the best predictors. Results also suggest that the fabric of these social relationships can be substantially influenced by managerial actions in developing a participative approach in the supervisory management of safety and a commitment of senior managers to develop the safety program and joint regulation mechanisms.