Factors Associated with Good Safety Records and Safe Work Environment in the Metal Industry

The purpose was to analyze possible effects of the safety management factors, production management factors, psychosocial factors and work force factors on the accident rate and on the physical work environment. The researchers visited 50 metal product manufacturing companies and observed the physical environment with a standardized method. The workers answered a questionnaire. A high index of physical environment, high fluency of work and high organizational commitment of workers was related with low accident rate. However, bad organizational climate and bad supervisory support were related with high index of physical work environment. Perceived safety management program had no effect on accidents and no effect on work environment.