Towards an effective occupational health and safety culture: A multiple stakeholder perspective

Abstract

Introduction: This paper uses an extensive review of the safety culture literature to identify three key themes (a) role of new employees, (b) absence of a pro-active approach, and (c) need for a ‘No-blame’ culture, and explores their impact on the occupational health and safety culture (OHS).

Method: We use a qualitative study with a constructivist phenomenological approach consisting of 55 in-depth interviews with a diverse range of participants, including business owners, line managers and supervisors, OHS advisors, workers, and union representatives in Western Australia. A workplace vignette was used to elicit cultural norms derived from the participants’ attitudes and beliefs, which were analyzed using NVivo software to conduct a thematic analysis to classify the interview text into specific concepts and phrases.

Results: Findings confirm the three themes identified from our literature review and provide useful insights into the challenges faced by the participants in the implementation of safety policies.

Practical Applications: Besides extending the occupational health and safety literature, these findings have important managerial implications in view of the evolving nature of work and workplaces.