How safety accountability impacts the safety performance of safety managers: A moderated mediating model

• Published in: Journal of safety research Vol. 89; pp. 160 - 171
• Main Authors: Sha, Yongzhong, Zhang, Yongbao, Zhang, Yan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Ltd 01.06.2024
• Subjects: Adult; China; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Models, Theoretical; Moderated mediating model; Organizational Culture; Safety accountability; Safety Management; Safety managers; Safety performance; Social Identification; Social Responsibility; Surveys and Questionnaires; China; Safety managers; Moderated mediating model; Safety accountability; Safety performance
• ISSN: 0022-4375; 1879-1247
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jsr.2024.01.007

•A survey of Chinese enterprise safety managers in the safety accountability context.•Analyzed the mechanism of safety accountability on safety performance from a micro-perspective.•Focused on professional identification and role overload of Chinese safety managers.•Safety accountability is a “double-edged sword” for improving the safety performance.•Two mediating variables on safety performance is moderated by the safety climate. Introduction: Accountability has been widely used to guide and shape employee behavior to improve employee performance. However, in safety production, whether safety accountability can improve safety performance, to what extent, and what factors are affecting it remain unclear. This study explores the mechanisms through which safety accountability affects the individual safety performance of Chinese enterprise safety managers. Method: We construct a new theoretical model based on social identity and conservation of resources theories and test it using survey data on enterprise safety managers. Results: The results of the mediating effect show that safety accountability is a “double-edged sword” for safety performance. On the one hand, safety accountability can improve safety performance by enhancing the professional identification of safety managers. On the other hand, safety accountability can also cause a role overload for safety managers, reducing their safety performance. Finally, the safety climate moderates the mediating effect of professional identification and role overload. Practical Applications: Overall, this study explores the mechanism of safety accountability on safety performance from a micro-perspective, which can enrich the theory and practice of safety production and emergency management.