Hazard information, risk perception, cultural values, and safety compliance: A comparison of Canada, Mexico, and the United States

A theory of worker safety compliance was proposed in which knowledge about industrial hazards was hypothesized to lead to behavioral change if the knowledge had to do with the erect of these hazards on the workers health, and if it was paired with behavioral alternatives for safe performance. Four types of safety information were used in an analogue training model. Three hundred six electric utility lineworkers from Canada (n = 72), Mexico (n = 104), and the United States (n = 130) participated in a study that examined the effects of safety training information on both risk perception and the Likelihood of Complying with Safety Prescriptions (LOCSP) regarding the use of flame resistant garments. The study also examined the impact of nationality and the cultural values of universalism, security, power and self-direction (Schwartz, 1992, 1997) on risk perception and LOCSP. The LOCSP was assessed with a scale based on Ajzen and Fishbein's theory of reasoned action (1970). Principal component factor analyses resulted in three factors (behavioral intentions, attitudes toward safety prescriptions, and perceived social norms) for both Americans and Mexicans (the Canadian group was dropped for analyses on that variable due to low reliability). Risk perception was assessed with (a) perceptions of risk from electric hazards, (b) risk from other job hazards, and (c) a list of job related injuries and diseases. Mexicans who participated in the health consequences and combined condition were more likely to perceive strong social norms regarding the use of safety garments. Next, regardless of lineworkers' nationality or experimental condition, the value of universalism was significantly and positively related to the fear of other job hazards; in contrast, the value of security was significantly and negatively related to the fear of other job hazards. In addition, people who endorsed the value of universalism were more likely to both express the intention to follow safety procedures and to perceive stronger social norms regarding safety regulations. The value of power was also significantly and positively related to the intention of following safety procedures. Last, Mexicans overall expressed a greater LOCSPs than Americans. Last, cultural values, as defined by Shalom Schwartz, were significantly related to both risk perception and elements of the theory of reasoned action. This study demonstrated that the type of information interacts with country and risk perception, leading to a greater likelihood that Mexicans rated their endorsement to social norms regarding safety regulations. The findings clearly indicate that country and cultural values each explain unique variance of both risk perception and the likelihood of complying with safety procedures. These findings are promising since it is the first study that has found significant relationships between values, as defined by Shalom Schwartz (1992), and both risk perception and elements of the theory of reasoned action.