Abstract:
Leaders are organisational architects with an ability to influence the inputs and outputs
of business performance which includes safety performance. Inputs and outputs in the
context of this study include the safe behaviour of employees and the leader s role in
creating a safe working environment. Studies in safety leadership have shown that
transformational leadership results in high employee safety participation whereas
transactional leadership results in increased safety compliance. Recent studies have
focused mainly on the impact of the two leadership styles on the safety climate. This
study aims to bridge the existing gap in understanding the effect of transformational,
transactional leadership and safety culture on safety outcomes. Self-administered and
online questionnaires were used to collect data in chemical organisations in Durban.
The number of returned valid questionnaires was 250. Analysis included various
correlation tests and multiple regression analysis to test the relationships between the
three variables. Results revealed that transformational and transactional leadership
lead to different safety outcomes. In addition, transactional leadership positively
impacts on safety culture when compared with transformational leadership which has
demonstrated a negative relationship.
