Risk perception and safety behaviors in high-risk workers: A systematic literature review

Abstract

The pervasive issue of occupational safety poses a compelling challenge within the global workforce causing a staggering amount of yearly injuries and fatalities worldwide. The relationship between risk perception and behaviors is of particular interest across various fields, but a comprehensive understanding of this association in the occupational sector is lacking. This systematic review examines the literature on the relationship between risk perception and safety behaviors among front-line workers in high-risk occupations for physical injuries. Using the PRISMA method, 89 peer-reviewed papers from the last two decades were synthesized. The findings revealed a common oversight in recognizing the multidimensional nature of risk perception as only seven out of 89 papers considered both its deliberative (i.e., perceived probability and severity of incurring a hazard’s negative consequences) and affective (i.e., emotional reactions associated with the hazard) dimensions. Despite this, a majority of studies found a significant positive association between risk perception and safety behaviors, although 40% reported mixed or null effects. Individual factors (e.g., attitudes) and organizational factors (e.g., safety climate) were explored as potential mediators with mixed outcomes, while group and leadership factors were largely neglected. This review provides guidelines for more comprehensive future assessments of risk perception in the workplace. Enhancing the understanding of both deliberative and affective dimensions of risk perception is essential for developing effective training programs to improve safety behaviors.