Defining and Assessing Safety Culture in High Reliability Systems

Cheyne, A., Cox, S., Oliver, A., & Tomas, J. M. (1998). Modeling safety climate in the
prediction of levels of safety activity. Work & Stress, 12(3), 255-271.
Structural Equation Model (SEM) techniques were used to examine the architecture of the
relationships between components of organizational safety climate, including employee attitudes
to safety issues and perceptions of the work environment, and related to self-reported levels of
safety activity. A survey that consisted of demographic information, physical work environment,
hazards checklist, attitudes to safety (including safety management, communication, individual
responsibility, safety standards and goals, and personal involvement), and safety activities was
used to collect data.
The data showed that a common structure, or architecture, of attitudes to safety issues and
perceptions of the work environment could be constructed to explain the levels of safety activity.
This suggests that a pivotal role is played on one hand, by the strength of employees’ attitudes
with regard to safety management, through both direct and indirect paths, and, on the other hand,
by their views on individual levels of responsibility. This model highlights safety management as
the most appropriate area to start any improvement program.
MANOVA & one-way ANOVAs were used to examine the differences between plants/sites. The
results showed that employees differed in their attitudes to safety issues, such as the management
of safety and communication, and in their perceptions of workplace hazards. It is intended that
this model be further utilized within the organization under study as a basis for monitoring safety
performance and planned improvements in safety.
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