Epidemiol Health.  2018;40:e2018019. 10.4178/epih.e2018019.

Effects of human and organizational deficiencies on workers' safety behavior at a mining site in Iran

• Mirzaei Aliabadi M
• Aghaei H
• Kalatpour
• Soltanian
• SeyedTabib M

• KMID: 2438474
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4178/epih.e2018019

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
Throughout the world, mines are dangerous workplaces with high accident rates. According to the Statistical Center of Iran, the number of occupational accidents in Iranian mines has increased in recent years. This study investigated and analyzed the human and organizational deficiencies that influenced Iranian mining accidents.
METHODS
In this study, the data associated with 305 mining accidents were analyzed using a systems analysis approach to identify critical deficiencies in organizational influences, unsafe supervision, preconditions for unsafe acts, and workers' unsafe acts. Partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was utilized to model the interactions among these deficiencies.
RESULTS
Organizational deficiencies had a direct positive effect on workers' violations (path coefficient, 0.16) and workers' errors (path coefficient, 0.23). The effect of unsafe supervision on workers' violations and workers' errors was also significant, with path coefficients of 0.14 and 0.20, respectively. Likewise, preconditions for unsafe acts had a significant effect on both workers' violations (path coefficient, 0.16) and workers' errors (path coefficient, 0.21). Moreover, organizational deficiencies had an indirect positive effect on workers' unsafe acts, mediated by unsafe supervision and preconditions for unsafe acts. Among the variables examined in the current study, organizational influences had the strongest impact on workers' unsafe acts.
CONCLUSIONS
Organizational deficiencies were found to be the main cause of accidents in the mining sector, as they affected all other aspects of system safety. In order to prevent occupational accidents, organizational deficiencies should be modified first.

Keyword

Mining accident analysis; Human factors; Behavior; Statistical model

MeSH Terms

Accidents, Occupational
Humans*
Iran*
Mining*
Models, Statistical
Organization and Administration
Systems Analysis