Examining the Effect of Hazard Prevention and Control on Safety Outcomes in the Automotive Industry: The Mediating Role of Safety Behaviors and the Moderating Role of Safety Leadership

The high frequency of occupational accidents in manufacturing industries highlights deficiencies in controlling unsafe workplace conditions and behaviors. The automotive sector, as a cornerstone for related industries, has made a significant contribution to these statistics. This study examines the influence of hazard prevention and control on safety outcomes, focusing on the mediating role of safety behaviors and the moderating role of safety leadership within Iran's automotive industry. This quantitative research employed a stratified random sampling method to distribute survey questionnaires across 28 departments within the Iranian automotive manufacturing company, with 1149 employees participating. Structural equation modeling was conducted using the partial least squares approach to validate and analyze the hypothesized relationships. Additionally, expert assessments guided fuzzy cognitive mapping to identify causal relationships and prioritize variables within the occupational health and safety management system. The findings reveal significant associations between hazard prevention, control measures, and various dimensions of safety behaviors. While the evaluation and effectiveness of hazard prevention measures demonstrated the strongest impact, planning and implementation also influenced safety behaviors, albeit to a lesser extent. Safety outcomes were adversely affected by hazard prevention and control, mediated by safety behaviors and moderated by safety leadership. Safety leadership exhibited the most substantial effect in reducing lost time injuries, primarily by enhancing safety compliance. The proposed model enhances understanding of how organizations can develop effective strategies to improve workplace safety by identifying high-priority elements within the occupational health and safety management system. This allows them to allocate resources more efficiently and minimize incidents and waste.