The Impact Of Mental Health On Mineworkers’ Safety Behaviours: The Moderating Role Of Safety Climate
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Date
2021-10
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Publisher
University Of Ghana
Abstract
Despite the heavy investment in health and safety, the Ghanaian mining industry continues to
record a high number of accidents and workplace injuries. The cost of accident compensations
coupled with the loss of productive work hours as well as work-related diseases emanating from
accidents and injuries at the workplace are excruciating. Mine workers compliance with safety
rules and regulations and the active participation in safety initiatives and activities which could
be improved through a good safety climate and enhancing mine workers mental health will
contribute to reducing workplace accidents and injuries. To this end, the current study investigates
the impact of mental health (anxiety and depression) on employee safety behaviours (compliance
and participation) whiles examining whether safety climate moderates the relationship between
mental health and safety behaviours. Grounded in the social exchange theory, the study adopted
a quantitative research approach with an explanatory cross-sectional survey research design. A
total of two-hundred and seventy-four (274) mine workers purposively selected participated in
the study. Responses were obtained from participants through a structured questionnaire which
was analyzed using the partial least square structural equation modelling with smart PLS (v.3).
The study found that anxiety had a significant negative effect on safety compliance but not
participation. Depression was found to have a significant negative effect on mine workers safety
compliance and participation behaviours. The findings of the study also show that safety climate
moderates the relationships between the dimensions of mental health and mine workers safety
behaviour except for the relationship between anxiety and mine workers safety participation
behaviour. The study recommends the need for mining companies to develop industry-specific
policies on mental health and employee’s assistance programs in mental health that will seek to identify and address mental health challenges among mine workers.
Description
MPhil. Human Resource Management
Keywords
Mental Health, Mineworkers, Safety