Regulatory focus and safety outcomes: An examination of the mediating influence of safety behavior. (July 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Aryee, Samuel; Hsiung, Hsin-Hua
• Is Part Of: Safety science. Volume 86(2016)
• Page Start: 27
• Page End: 35
• Publication Date: 2016-07
• Subjects: Regulatory focus -- Safety initiative -- Unsafe behavior -- Safety-related events -- Injuries; Industrial accidents -- Periodicals; Accident Prevention -- Periodicals; Safety -- Periodicals; Travail -- Accidents -- Périodiques; 363.11
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ssci.2016.02.011
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0925-7535

Abstract

Highlights: Adopts a regulatory focus as a theoretical framework to understand safety outcomes. Examines a mediated model of the relationships between regulatory foci (promotion and prevention) and safety outcomes. Safety initiative mediates the relationships between promotion focus and the safety outcomes of safety related events and injuries. Unsafe behavior mediates the relationship between prevention focus and safety related events but not injuries. Theoretical implications: (i) Underscores the utility of broadening the conceptualization of safety behavior. Abstract: We proposed and tested a model of the relationship between regulatory focus, safety behaviors, and safety outcomes. Specifically, we hypothesized regulatory foci (promotion and prevention) to relate to the safety outcomes (safety-related events and injuries) through safety behaviors (unsafe behavior and safety initiative). Data were obtained at two time points 6 months apart from frontline firefighters and their supervisors drawn from New Taipei City Government. The results of multilevel structural equation modeling (MSEM) revealed that promotion focus related to safety-related events and injuries through safety initiative while prevention focus related to safety-related events (but not injuries) through unsafe behavior. Our findings reinforce the utility of distinguishing between safety behaviors and outcomes as well as the role of a motivational framework in understanding workplace safety.