Peer Effects and Safety Culture on Safety Management: A Conceptual Model

Peer effects refer to impacts on a focal person's behavior from another reference person or group without any evidence to suggest intentional influence from the reference person or group. Peer effects occur naturally in the workplace and can impact an organization's overall performance and culture by affecting employees' decision-making and behaviors. Within the study of safety management, peer effects have not yet been considered in the conceptualization of safety culture. Safety culture refers to the assembly of organizational attitudes and behaviors that prioritize safety. Factors that impact safety culture include management behaviors and commitment to safety, employee behaviors and commitment to safety, and safety management systems. The objective of this study is to examine the interactions between peer effects and organizational safety culture from the perspective of safety management. A conceptual model that integrates peer effect and safety culture for safety management is proposed, along with three propositions for future study.