Framework for Safety Performance in Paramedic Training Institute: Mediating Effect of Safety Competence

Abstract

Safety performance in the public service and statutory authorities can still be considered to be at a low
level. Based on the Department of Occupational Safety and Health, (DOSH) Malaysia's annual report from
2017 to 2020, there was an increasing trend of reported workplace accident cases from 47 cases in2017
to 77 caseslast year. Aparamedic traininginstitute, for example, hasrecorded 17 in-house incidents in 2018
that cause absenteeism, reduce staff confidence to perform work productively, and negatively impact
the workers’ quality of life. Malaysia OSHMP 2020 highlighted the demand of exercising preventive culture
in every sector to inculcate a safe and healthy work culture for the well-being of workers, employers, and
the country. However, implementing this action at the non-factory sector, including public service and
statutory authorities during 2016-2020, in the early stages. Hence, the solution needs to be broken down
into feasible elements to form a model that can produce better safety performance. This paper aims to
address the development of a conceptual framework to study the dimensions of safety culture and
potential link to safety performance in paramedic training institutes. In the literature, there have been
fewer frameworks formed in this low-risk industry. The study used a quantitative technique, with the sample
size being limited to the safety person in charge at the paramedic training institute. This research examines
probable linkages between all five elements of safety culture and proposes a conceptual framework that
includes the mediating influence of safety competence on safety performance. Therefore, we believed
that in other low-risk industries in similar categories, more research is needed to evaluate our proposed
empirical framework. Finally, this document may help senior management to understand the value of
fosteringa safe culture for a healthy and safe workplace. Future studies in this field, particularly in the nonfactory sector, might be guided by the suggested conceptual framework.