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CIB Conferences

Abstract

Extrinsic safety motivation drives improved engagement in activities such as hazard reporting, participation in safety training, and adherence to safety procedures. The causation mechanism is less explored, while it is one of the key research areas fostering a paradigm shift from a strict compliance-based to a collaborative motivation-based approach to safety management. Given the paucity of empirical research on the influence of extrinsic safety motivation on safety outcome variables, this study aims to elaborate on the correlations between such variables in the context of the construction industry. An intervention study was conducted in New South Wales, Australia, to empirically examine the significant impact of extrinsic safety motivation on three safety outcome variables: safety climate, safety behaviour, and safety compliance. A pre-post comparative quasi-experimental approach was adopted to examine changes in safety values due to the implementation of an intervention program. While self-reporting bias is a downside of survey studies, the use of anonymous and validated instruments ensured the achievement of reliable outcomes. A Multi-Group Confirmatory Factor Analysis (MGCFA) technique was used to compare factor loadings and correlations of four latent variables across the two intervention and non-intervention samples. Correlation refers to the degree to which safety values are related, while causation compares pre- and post-intervention models to establish a direct cause-and-effect dependence between variables. The findings provide insights into how safety outcome latent variables are correlated with the extrinsic safety motivation. The findings provide evidence that external motivational strategies can contribute to improving not only the observable behaviours but also the broader organisational safety climate by reinforcing values and norms. This study contributes to a better understanding of the mechanisms through which employees’ perception of safety values and norms are impacted by external motivators as a stepping stone for driving a collaborative safety management approach.

Keywords

Extrinsic Safety Motivation, Safety Climate, Safety Behaviour, Safety Compliance, Construction Industry

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