Perceived workplace safety culture among Swedish electricians

Accidents and injuries caused by electricity are work environment risks for electricians. About a 100 cases are reported annually to the Swedish Work Environment Authority. The safety culture at the electricians’ workplaces can affect the successfulness of safety management and the prevention of injuries. This paper presents preliminary questionnaire and interview findings on the perceived workplace safety culture of 523 male electricians who have experienced an electrical injury or accident. The results show a general need for increased safety awareness and motivation for safe work performance on different organisational levels. They also show a need for increased visibility of the management at the workplaces, increased commitment to safety, improved communication with the staff, and the need for increased reporting of incidents and experience feedback in order to achieve well-functioning learning for safety. The preliminary findings offer us a better understanding of the driving forces and barriers to efficient safety management and to safety culture improvements in this industry sector.