A Demands–Resources View of Safety Climate in Military Aviation

Safety climate surveys have been criticized because they lack an explicit theoretical basis. We present validation data for a safety climate survey based on the job demands–resources (JD-R) theory and designed for use in a military aviation context. We tested measurement and structural models based on JD-R theory across three datasets collected in 2014 (N = 8,799), 2015 (N = 8,910), and 2016 (N = 10,236). The measurement model fitted the data across the three administrations, reliability estimates were satisfactory for all scales, and predictions based on JD-R theory were realized. The theory-based instrument can help to explain variance in safety outcomes through clearly articulated direct, indirect, and moderated pathways that have the potential to enrich reports on safety climate.