Standardized Management Systems in the Context of Active Employee Participation in Occupational Health and Safety

Purpose: This paper seeks to conceptualize and clarify the active employee participation in health and safety (taking into account scope and depth ) and develop a scale to measure it and use this indicator in practice for comparative analysis. Design/Methodology/Approach: The conceptual and theoretical model for employee participation in OHS is tested on a sample of 289 respondents. The research was conducted using the PAPI (Paper & Pen Personal Interview) method. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used. The developed construct (characterized by an adequately high level of validity and reliability) was used to compare companies in the implemented management system. In comparative analysis was used Mann–Whitney U test. Findings: It was found that it is possible to measure active participation in OHS (EFA and CFA analyzes) and that proactive indicator consists of one dimension (15 items). The comparative analyses conducted corroborate the relationship between implementing a standardized management system and a level of active participation of employees in OHS. Practical Implications: The measurement and identification of determinants impacting on a high level of employee engagement in OHS will allow the management to take adequate and effective actions in respect of the safety of all organization members because employee participation in OHS is a condition necessary for the successful implementation of OHS management system and establishing high OHS culture which is correlated with a level of security in the company. Originality/Value: The study presents an original approach to the problem of active participation in OSH - completes the theoretical gap. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to provide a comprehensive, psychometrically sound, operationally valid measure of participation in OHS. The model for active employee participation in OHS and the universal measurement scale developed and validated in this study represents a step forward towards the effective and reliable measurement of employee participation.