The effect of positive reinforcement of behavioral-based safety on safety participation in Philippine coal-fired power plant workers: a partial least squares structural equation modeling approach

Abstract

The power plant accident is considered one of the man-made disasters in many developing countries, including the Philippines. This study aimed to identify the factors influencing behavioral-based safety (BBS) of coal-fired power plant workers which subsequently led to their active safety participation (SPT). In total, 201 coal-fired power plant workers in the Philippines answered the questionnaire consisting of 60 items using a purposive sampling approach. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) revealed that personal measures (PM) had significant effects on safety incentives (SI), safety management system (SMS) and safety perception (SP). SP also had significant effect on BBS which subsequently led to SPT. Finally, SMS had significant effect on safety culture (SC) which subsequently led to safety communication (SCM), BBS and SPT. This study is the first to explore BBS in the Philippine coal-fired power plant, and can positively reinforce SPT of workers in the coal-fired power plant industry.

Keywords:

• safety culture
• behavioral-based safety
• coal-fired power plants
• partial least squares structural equation modeling

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank all of the power plant workers in the coal-fired power plant who voluntarily participated in the current study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.