How leaders and coworkers affect construction workers' safety behavior: An integrative perspective

Leaders and coworkers have a critical influence on construction workers' safety behavior, but limited attention has been paid to how they work together. This study took an integrative perspective, exploring the combined effects of leaders (safety leadership) and coworkers [coworkers' safety knowledge and behavior (CSK/B)] on construction workers' safety behavior (compliance and participation) through their risk perception. Data were collected using a questionnaire survey administered to 348 frontline construction workers in China, and hierarchical linear regression was used to test the hypotheses. Results show that both safety leadership and CSK/B positively affected workers' safety compliance and participation via risk perception. In addition, compared with safety leadership, CSK/B had a stronger impact on workers' risk perception, as well as a stronger impact on safety compliance and safety participation via risk perception. This study deepens understanding of the forming mechanism of construction workers' safety behavior by examining the mediating role of risk perception and comparing the influence of safety leadership and CSK/B. Practically, this knowledge will enable construction managers to develop appropriate strategies for fostering construction workers' safety behavior.