Derivation of safety climate model in East Malaysia chemical processing industry

Abstract

Substantial research has investigated the cross-validation or cross-cultural of safety climate model between western and non-western industrial context. Few studies have analysed the validation of safety climate model among non-western industrial context. The present study focuses on the validation of safety climate in non-western industrial context of East Malaysia chemical processing industry. This study attempts to validate a safety climate model originally tested in India to assess its applicability in Malaysia context: across production workers in chemical industry. The eight first order factorial validity of safety climate model developed by Vinodkumar and Bhasi (2009) is initially validated through pilot study and consultation with expert panels. The revised items are subsequently implemented with a total of 544 employees at twelve chemical processing industries. Both exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) are performed to provide evidence of its construct validity. Criterion-related validity is then analysed to relate the safety climate scores to self-report accidents and independent groups (age, education levels, working experience and position). The findings of the present indicated that the original eight factors of safety climate model developed by Vinodkumar and Bhasi (2009) is failed to implement in the context of Malaysian chemical industry. An alternative seven factors model is developed and validated using EFA and CFA. Additional samples are again validated to support a consistent of this seven factors structure of safety climate. This study provides a valid and reliable instrument to measure the safety climate for in Malaysia chemical industry.