The Antecedents of Safety Leadership

The second part tests the model using data from a survey of 383 construction leaders in a large U.S. construction firm. Structural equation modeling showed that work engagement significantly influences safety leadership, while psychological capital (PsyCap), social support, work autonomy, and risk perception significantly contribute to work engagement. These results indicate that the JD-R model can be extended to study safety leadership, and that improving work engagement, by enhancing organizational and personal resources, is critical for promoting safety leadership.

In addition, PsyCap was found to moderate the relationship of social support on work engagement as a substitute interaction. This means that work engagement can be improved by either enhancing social support or PsyCap. The third part of this study further tests the direct effect of the organizational and personal factors studied in the second part on safety leadership.

Multiple regression showed that PsyCap, social support, and work autonomy are important for safety leadership. PsyCap is particularly influential in strengthening safety leadership.