Effects of Safety Perceptions among Fire Protection–Related Workers on Perceived Overall Safety Level

Abstract

This study examined hazard perception, perceptions of safety education, perceptions of safety management operations and the importance of responsible management actors, and willingness to practice safety among workers in fire protection–related fields. It also investigated the effects of these factors on perceived overall safety level. The participants included workers engaged in fire protection construction, design, supervision, inspection, and related electrical, mechanical, and communication fields. A total of 100 valid questionnaires were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics. Frequency analysis, descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, Pearson correlation analysis, and simultaneous multiple regression analysis were conducted. Respondents perceived multiple hazards at fire protection construction sites, particularly falls and concurrent work with other trades. They also placed considerable importance on regular safety education, employers’ safety awareness, site managers’ roles, and the establishment of a safety culture. The mean score for perceived overall safety level was 3.826. Perceived overall safety level was positively correlated with hazard perception(r=.221), safety education perception(r=.636), perceptions of safety management operations and the importance of responsible management actors(r=.758), and willingness to practice safety(r=.576). The multiple regression model was statistically significant(R²=.542, adjusted R²=.522, F=28.069, p<.001). Only perceptions of safety management operations and the importance of responsible management actors had a significant positive effect on perceived overall safety level (B=.998, β=.681, p<.001). Because relatively high correlations were observed among some independent variables, the regression coefficients should be interpreted as conditional effects after controlling for the other variables. The findings suggest that perceived safety in fire protection–related work may be closely associated with operational safety procedures and the roles of employers and site managers. Based on the findings and previous research, practical measures such as pre-work inspections, permit-to-work procedures, fire watchers, coordination of concurrent operations, and stop-work procedures are proposed. However, the effectiveness of these measures was not directly tested and should be examined in future studies.