Beyond Compliance: Uncovering Organizational Barriers to Workplace Safety in Industrial Zones

This study investigates the organizational and behavioral barriers influencing occupational safety and health (OSH) outcomes in industrial zones, drawing on Bureaucratic Organization Theory and the Theory of Planned Behavior. The primary objective is to identify key structural, cultural, and psychological factors that undermine safety performance. A quantitative research design was adopted, utilizing survey data from 486 employees in industrial clusters across Vietnam. Data were analyzed using SPSS 22.0 and AMOS 22.0 through a 2-stage analytical process involving Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analyses, followed by Structural Equation Modeling. The results reveal that formalistic safety procedures, lack of operational empowerment, poor interdepartmental coordination, complex incident reporting, unsafe group norms, productivity-over-safety culture, low perceived behavioral control, and lack of safety motivation all negatively impact OSH outcomes. These findings underscore the need for participatory safety management, simplified reporting systems, and empowerment-focused interventions. The study provides both theoretical contributions and practical recommendations for developing more resilient and employee-centered OSH strategies in industrial contexts.