Investigating the Effects of Role Demands, Psychosocial Stress Symptoms and Safety Leadership on Mineworkers’ Safety Performance

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the effects of role demands on safety performance in mining companies under the mediating role of psychosocial stress symptoms. Three dimensions of safety leadership were also tested as moderators on the relationship between psychosocial stress symptoms and safety performance. METHODS: To collect data to analyze the hypothesized relationships in the present study, a total of 850 questionnaires were distributed to mineworkers in Ghana. Hierarchical regression analysis was employed as the main statistical technique in analyzing the data using SPSS version 21 software. FINDINGS: Results from hierarchical regression analysis showed that psychosocial stress symptoms fully mediated the relationship between role demands and safety compliance but showed no mediation on role demands and safety participation. Also, only safety coaching from safety leadership demonstrated to have a moderating effect on the relationship between psychosocial stress symptoms and safety compliance of safety performance. CONCLUSION: The study proposes that it is important to examine the effects of role demands on specific job performance. The importance of safety coaching as a key element of planning to improve safety performance should not be underestimated.