A macroergonomics perspective for exploring safety culture factors: a qualitative content analysis approach

Abstract

Objective. Although assessing safety culture is a useful approach in reducing occupational accidents, there are no qualitative examinations of it based on a systems approach. This study was conducted with the aim of explaining the experiences of gas refinement personnel on safety issues and extending safety culture constructs using a macroergonomics approach. Methods. A directed qualitative content analysis was used. Data were collected by 18 semi-structured interviews based on a work subsystems model as a guiding framework. Results. From the interviews, 420 codes were extracted. By placing codes into subsystems, five categories in the organization subsystem, two categories in the job subsystem, one category in the human subsystem, two categories in the technology subsystem and two categories in the environment subsystem emerged. In addition to the common factors in assessment scales, factors such as work schedule, safety standards in new technologies and external factors of the organization like financial conditions were considered effective for workers’ attitudes and safety behaviors. Conclusion. Investigating personnel perspectives about safety in the workplace based on a macroergonomics approach developed distinct factors in safety culture. It seems that industry features, environment and technology along with organizational factors are important in assessing safety culture.

KEYWORDS:

• macroergonomics
• safety culture
• organization ergonomics
• sociotechnical system theory
• qualitative content analysis

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the workers, supervisors and managers of the gas refinery company where this study was conducted. This study was conducted with financial support from Shiraz University of Medical Sciences.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Shiraz University of Medical Sciences [grant number: 98-01-04-21753].