Influence of management practices on safety performance: The case of mining sector in China

Although reports of horrific injuries resulting from safety problems in China’s mining sector emerge regularly, studies investigating occupational health and safety (OHS) management in Chinese organisations are scarce. OHS constitutes a human resource management (HRM) issue, and although it is also considered a general management issue, it continues to be overlooked by scholars in the management field. To address this gap in the literature, the aim of this paper is to identify the underlying mechanisms linking management and safety outcomes by examining the influence of some critical management and HRM practices on employee safety behaviours. Results of a survey of 493 employees revealed management commitment to safety, safety training, and promotion of employee involvement, affect employee safety performance directly and through safety knowledge and motivation. It was also demonstrated these practices could mean much more to employees paid on a piece-rate versus time-rate basis. This study provides valuable guidance for practitioners towards identifying the mechanisms through which workplace safety can be improved.