The influence of Safety Culture on Safety Performance: The Mediating Role of the Safety Management System at Universal Plastic Factory Plc

Abstract

This study examined the association between safety culture and safety performance, with the
safety management system as a mediator, in Ethiopian plastic manufacturing. A quantitative,
descriptive-correlational design was employed using cross-sectional data. The independent
variable (safety culture), the mediator (safety management system), and the dependent variable
(safety performance) were measured using scales adapted from Hajmohammad et al. (2014),
McFadden et al. (2009), and Milijic et al. (2013) for safety culture, and Fernández-Muñiz et al.
(2014) for safety management system and safety performance. A simple random sampling
technique was used to select 123 employees from a population of 167 workers. Of these, 118
returned completed questionnaires, representing a 95.9% response rate. Data were analyzed
using descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis, Pearson correlation, and multiple
regression with Hayes' PROCESS Macro Model 4. Safety culture had a significant positive
association with safety performance (β = 0.505, p < 0.001, R2 = 0.255) and with the safety
management system (β = 0.484, p < 0.001, R2 = 0.234). The safety management system was
significantly associated with safety performance (β = 0.458, p < 0.001, R2 = 0.210). The indirect
effect through the mediator was statistically significant (ab = 0.169, BootSE = 0.058, 95% CI
[0.061, 0.287]), based on 5,000 bootstrap samples, confirming its mediating role.