The Effects of Safety Culture on Occupational Accidents: An explanatory study in Container Terminals of Turkey

Abstract

Detection of the underlying mechanisms leading to accidents resulting in fatalities and injuries is crucial to improve maritime safety. This paper examines the association between safety culture and occupational accidents in the container terminals. Within the scope of the study, six different container terminals that are situated in Marmara Region was selected as application areas in Turkey. For the purpose of gathering information, survey has been conducted with 134 respondent and interview has been carried out with the occupational safety specialists of ports, respectively. Collected data were analysed using SPSS 22 software to determine safety culture level of terminals and its correlation with accidents. Data obtained from six container terminals were presented and results were discussed with respect to safety culture assessment and occupational accidents. The results highlight that the positive safety culture have a strong influence on port workers in terms of avoiding from accidents. Additionally, each component related to safety culture was found in a significant correlation with occurrences of accidents. Then again, port workers found to be rarely involved in accidents in case the safety culture level is high.

Keywords

• Safety Culture
• Occupational Accident
• Container Terminal
• Port Workers

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