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Production supervisor impacts on subordinates' safety outcomes: an investigation of leader-member exchange and safety communication.
J Safety Res. 2006; 37(5):469-77.JS

Abstract

PROBLEM

Supervisors are increasingly important to the functioning of manufacturing operations, in large part due to their role as leaders. While supervisors' relations and communication with their subordinates are known to be important in influencing subordinates' behavior, little is known about how these two factors will impact subordinates' safety. This study investigated how much each factor contributes to safety-related outcomes for blue-collar production employees.

METHOD

Production employees at five Pennsylvania wood manufacturers completed a survey during their work shift. Five hundred and ninety eight employees provided data on leader-member exchange (LMX), safety communication, and safety-related events. Archival data on OSHA recordables were also obtained from the producers' human resources database.

RESULTS

Analyses found that the influence of LMX was greater than that of safety communication in predicting safety-related events. Neither LMX nor safety communication was significantly related to OSHA recordables. Results also demonstrated that employee job satisfaction and demographic variables such as gender and age have safety implications.

IMPACT ON INDUSTRY

Results from this study further emphasize the importance of production supervisors and illustrate the potential role of leader-member exchange in enhancing workplace safety. Specifically, organizations should foster positive social exchange between their employees and supervisors and enhance the leadership qualities of supervisors to help reduce workplace injuries.

Links

Publisher Full Text

Authors+Show Affiliations

Michael JH
Sustainable Wood-Based Enterprises, 211 Forest Resources Building, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pa 16802, USA. jh-michael@psu.edu
Guo ZG
No affiliation info available
Wiedenbeck JK
No affiliation info available
Ray CD
No affiliation info available

MeSH

Accidents, OccupationalCommunicationFemaleHumansLeadershipMalePennsylvaniaPersonnel ManagementPsychological TheoryRegression AnalysisSafety ManagementWood

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article
Multicenter Study
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

Language

eng

PubMed ID

17123545

Citation

Michael, Judd H., et al. "Production Supervisor Impacts On Subordinates' Safety Outcomes: an Investigation of Leader-member Exchange and Safety Communication." Journal of Safety Research, vol. 37, no. 5, 2006, pp. 469-77.
Michael JH, Guo ZG, Wiedenbeck JK, et al. Production supervisor impacts on subordinates' safety outcomes: an investigation of leader-member exchange and safety communication. J Safety Res. 2006;37(5):469-77.
Michael, J. H., Guo, Z. G., Wiedenbeck, J. K., & Ray, C. D. (2006). Production supervisor impacts on subordinates' safety outcomes: an investigation of leader-member exchange and safety communication. Journal of Safety Research, 37(5), 469-77.
Michael JH, et al. Production Supervisor Impacts On Subordinates' Safety Outcomes: an Investigation of Leader-member Exchange and Safety Communication. J Safety Res. 2006;37(5):469-77. PubMed PMID: 17123545.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - JOUR T1 - Production supervisor impacts on subordinates' safety outcomes: an investigation of leader-member exchange and safety communication. AU - Michael,Judd H, AU - Guo,Zhen George, AU - Wiedenbeck,Janice K, AU - Ray,Charles D, Y1 - 2006/11/22/ PY - 2005/09/28/received PY - 2006/03/22/revised PY - 2006/06/26/accepted PY - 2006/11/25/pubmed PY - 2007/2/10/medline PY - 2006/11/25/entrez SP - 469 EP - 77 JF - Journal of safety research JO - J Safety Res VL - 37 IS - 5 N2 - PROBLEM: Supervisors are increasingly important to the functioning of manufacturing operations, in large part due to their role as leaders. While supervisors' relations and communication with their subordinates are known to be important in influencing subordinates' behavior, little is known about how these two factors will impact subordinates' safety. This study investigated how much each factor contributes to safety-related outcomes for blue-collar production employees. METHOD: Production employees at five Pennsylvania wood manufacturers completed a survey during their work shift. Five hundred and ninety eight employees provided data on leader-member exchange (LMX), safety communication, and safety-related events. Archival data on OSHA recordables were also obtained from the producers' human resources database. RESULTS: Analyses found that the influence of LMX was greater than that of safety communication in predicting safety-related events. Neither LMX nor safety communication was significantly related to OSHA recordables. Results also demonstrated that employee job satisfaction and demographic variables such as gender and age have safety implications. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: Results from this study further emphasize the importance of production supervisors and illustrate the potential role of leader-member exchange in enhancing workplace safety. Specifically, organizations should foster positive social exchange between their employees and supervisors and enhance the leadership qualities of supervisors to help reduce workplace injuries. SN - 0022-4375 UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/17123545/Production_supervisor_impacts_on_subordinates'_safety_outcomes:_an_investigation_of_leader_member_exchange_and_safety_communication_ L2 - https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0022-4375(06)00101-0 DB - PRIME DP - Unbound Medicine ER -