Mining safely: examining the moderating role of safety climate on mineworkers’ mental health and safety behavior nexus

Abstract

Purpose – The study aims to investigate the impact of anxiety and depression (dimensions of mental health) on mineworkers’ safety behaviors (safety compliance and safety participation) while examining the moderating role of safety climate on these relationships. Design/methodology/approach – A quantitative research approach with an explanatory cross-sectional survey research design was adopted. A total of 274 purposively selected mineworkers participated in the study. Responses were obtained from participants through a structured questionnaire which was analyzed using the partial least square structural equation modeling. Findings – Anxiety had a significant negative effect on safety compliance but not participation. However, depression was found to have a significant negative effect on both mineworkers’ safety compliance and participation behaviors. The findings of the study also show that safety climate moderates the relationships between the dimensions of mental health and mineworkers’ safety behavior except for the relationship between anxiety and mineworkers’ safety participation behavior. Originality/value – The study offers an account of the negative effect of mental health on mineworkers’ safety behavior whiles highlighting that safety climate is an important construct to mitigate the negative effects of mental illness on the safety behaviors of mineworkers.