The antecedents of employee safety behavior in the manufacturing industry: a meta-analytic review

Abstract

Abstract Purpose The purpose is to identify the antecedents of employee safety behavior in the manufacturing industry, which encompasses sectors such as automotive, electronics, and heavy machinery production. Drawing from the social cognition theory framework, this research assesses the influence of both personal and situational factors that shape employee safety behavior, promoting safety and health in the workplace. Methods We draw from the cognizance of social cognition theory to identify the antecedents of employee safety behavior in the manufacturing industry. A meta-analysis was carried out by aligning situational and person-related perspectives to explore the correlation between employee safety behavior and its antecedents. Results The results of the study show that safety climate, safety motivation, and safety knowledge drive employee safety behavior. We found support for the claim that safety climate regulates employee safety behavior. Safety knowledge and safety motivation mediate this relationship, while safety attitudes does not. Conclusion The awareness of compliance with safety regulations and improvement in safety performance for employees are insufficient. This indicates that manufacturing enterprises should encourage employees'' motivation toward safety behaviors by enhancing the workplace safety climate.The findings provide important insights for safety management practices in manufacturing settings, emphasizing the integration of safety and health initiatives.

The authors' abstract, as published at the source. BMC Public Health, 2026 · DOI ↗