Safety at the Edge of Innovation in Science laboratories: Examining Occupational Health and Safety Compliance among University Researchers in Pakistan.

Author(s) : Tahira Alam 1 & Muhammad Shoaib 2

Abstract:

Abstract
This paper examines the determinants of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) compliance among faculty and researchers conducting research and laboratory work in engineering universities in Pakistan, where individuals are exposed to hazardous materials, Scientific researchers-intensive protocols, and the cognitive pressure associated with academic study. The research discusses the relationship among the leadership styles, job strain, perceived organizational support (POS), and the safety climate on the impact of OHS compliance. A quantitative survey research design was adopted. These 300 faculty members and research personnel who works in scientific laboratories in the best-rated engineering universities situated in Islamabad, Lahore and Peshawar. The results indicate that all three variables namely, Effective leadership, POS, and good safety climate have a positive relation with OHS compliance and job strain is associated with OHS compliance negatively. The other hypothesis proposed and tested in the research is the mediation and moderation hypothesis: POS mediates the relationship between OHS compliance and job strain, and the leadership and safety climate has been discovered as the moderators of paramount importance. Leadership and organizational support is critical to the development of safety-oriented culture and the prevention of occupation strain in high-risk academic setting.

Keywords: Occupational Health and Safety (OHS), Leadership Styles, Job Strain, Perceived Organizational Support (POS), Safety Compliance.