Identifying safety culture and safety climate variables that predict reported risk-taking among Australian coal miners: an exploratory longitudinal study

The present study undertook an exploratory investigation of the causes of risk-taking among Australian coal miners. A range of safety culture and climate variables were measured in a survey of open-cut and underground coal miners from New South Wales and Queensland. A repeat survey of 233 of these miners was conducted an average of 10 months after the initial survey. Participants’ age and perceived safety norms at their mine site were significant longitudinal predictors of reported frequency of risk-taking. These findings suggest that young miners and miners who perceive it to be normal for miners at their mine site to ignore safety procedures are more likely to report taking safety risks in the future. Suggestions for safety interventions are considered.