Beyond boundaries: The mechanisms by which host organizations’ safety climates impact on-site contractors’ safety and retention

Introduction: Despite growing concerns over safety risks associated with on-site contractors in high-risk industries, little research has examined how host organizations affect their safety. Drawing from the open systems perspective, this study investigated the influence of host organizations’ safety climates on on-site contractor employees’ safety and job attitudes. Method: The study used multi-level structural equation modeling (MSEM) to test hypothesized relationships among variables with survey data collected from 1,720 employees of 68 on-site contractor organizations and 3,205 employees of six host organizations. Results: At the organization-level, host organizations’ safety climates were associated with their on-site contractor employees’ safety behaviors, job attitudes, and injuries, and these effects were mediated by the safety climate of the on-site contractor organizations. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that the safety climates of host organizations can extend to their on-site contractor organizations. Therefore, fostering a positive safety climate not only benefits the host organizations themselves but also creates a crucial environmental cue that shapes the safety climate and outcomes of on-site contractors. Practical Applications: Leading by example and fostering a positive safety climate within the organization are effective ways for a host organization to ensure the safety of its on-site contractors.