Behavioral safety compliance in an interdependent mining environment: supervisor communication, procedural justice and the mediating role of coworker communication

Abstract

Objectives. Although a focus on safety communication between managers and employees has been prevalent, research around coworker influence in this communication has been fragmented in the literature. Methods. To examine these issues, researchers gathered survey data from 1955 mine employees from surface stone, sand and gravel (SSG) and industrial mineral operations across the USA between 2016 and 2018, and studied the effects of relationships between justice perceptions, supervisor communication and coworker communication on behavioral safety compliance. Results. Using structural equation modeling, coworker communication partially mediated the direct effects of supervisor communication and justice perceptions on behavioral safety compliance – where the indirect effects were greater for justice perceptions. Conclusion. The results demonstrate the value in formal and informal communication paths to facilitate employee safety compliance; and that enhanced perceptions of job fairness and adaptability enhances coworker communication, further improving compliance in an interdependent environment.

Keywords:

• interdependent work environment
• procedural justice
• safety communication
• structural equation modeling
• supervisor–coworker relationships

Disclaimer

The findings and conclusions in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Mention of any company or product does not constitute endorsement by the NIOSH.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.