Open Access
Subscription or Fee Access
Investigating the Effect of Communication Strategy and Commitment on Incident Reporting
Abstract
Incident reporting is extensively used in the mining industry. By far, certain factors such as behavior, communication culture and safety culture that influence its effectiveness have been investigated. However, the influence of other factors such as communication strategy and commitment of mine workers on incident reporting have not been established. This study investigates the effect of communication strategy and commitment of gold mine workers on incident reporting. The descriptive research design and mixed method were employed to investigate the influence of the variables. It was identified that incident reporting is directly and significantly affected by communication strategy. On the contrary, commitment of mine workers had negative and negligible effect on incident reporting at the mines. Communication strategy directly correlated with commitment of mine workers. Commitment of mine workers towards incident reporting can be improved when the communication strategies are also improved. The findings obtained may trigger top management in the mining industry in the study area to devise feasible means to improve their communication strategy, and further improve the commitment of their workers towards incident reporting.
Keywords: Safety, incident reporting, communication strategy, commitment
Keywords
References
Kuranchie-Mensah EB, Amponsah-Tawiah K. Employee motivation and work performance: A
comparative study of mining companies in Ghana. J Ind Eng Manag (JIEM). 2016; 9(2): 255–309.
Mensah I, Boakye-Danquah J, Suleiman N, Nutakor S, Dan Suleiman M. Small-scale mining, the
SDGs and human insecurity in Ghana. In Africa and the Sustainable Development Goals. Springer,
Cham. 2020; 81–90.
Mock C, Quansah R, Krishnan R, Arreola-Risa C, Rivara F. Strengthening the prevention and care
of injuries worldwide. Lancet. 2004 Jun 26; 363(9427): 2172–9.
Amponsah-Tawiah K, Leka S, Jain A, Hollis D, Cox T. The impact of physical and psychosocial
risks on employee well-being and quality of life: The case of the mining industry in Ghana. Saf Sci.
Jun 1; 65: 28–35.
Stemn E. Analysis of injuries in the Ghanaian mining industry and priority areas for research. Saf
Health Work. 2019 Jun 1; 10(2): 151–65.
Gbireh AB, Cobblah A, Suglo RS. Analysis of the trends of gold mining in Ghana. Ghana Min J.
; 9: 38–49.
Akabzaa T, Darimani A. Impact of mining sector investment in Ghana: A study of the Tarkwa
mining region. Third World Network (TWN). 2001 Jan 20; 11(2): 47–61.
Hilson G, Maconachie R. For the environment: an assessment of recent military intervention in
informal gold mining communities in Ghana. Land Use Policy. 2020 Jul 1; 96: 104706.
Famiyeh S, Opoku RA, Kwarteng A, Asante-Darko D. Driving forces of sustainability in the mining
industry: Evidence from a developing country. Resour Policy. 2021 Mar 1; 70: 101910.
Stemn E, Hassall ME, Bofinger C. Systemic constraints to effective learning from incidents in the
Ghanaian mining industry: A correspondence analysis and AcciMap approach. Saf Sci. 2020 Mar 1;
: 104565.
Stemn E, Hassall ME, Bofinger C, Cliff D. Assessing the quality of incident investigations and its
effect on safety performance: a study of the Ghanaian mining industry. Mining Metall Explor. 2019
Dec; 36(6): 1145–54.
Thwala R, Adebesin F. The adoption of ICT for incident reporting at a South African mining
company. In Proceedings of the South African Institute of Computer Scientists and Information
Technologists. 2017 Sep 26; 1–8.
Zhang J, Fu J, Hao H, Fu G, Nie F, Zhang W. Root causes of coal mine accidents: Characteristics of
safety culture deficiencies based on accident statistics. Process Saf Environ Prot. 2020 Apr 1; 136:
–91.
Bullock SE, Bell FG. Some problems associated with past mining at a mine in the Witbank
coalfield, South Africa. Environ Geol. 1997 Dec; 33(1): 61–71.
Tetzlaff EJ, Goggins KA, Pegoraro AL, Dorman SC, Pakalnis V, Eger TR. Safety culture: a
retrospective analysis of occupational health and safety mining reports. Saf Health Work. 2021 Jun 1;
(2): 201–8.
Kosmoski CL. Assessing the safety culture of underground coal mining: results and
recommendations. In 2014 SME Annual Meeting. 2014 Feb; 23–26.
Tetzlaff E, Eger T, Pegoraro A, Dorman S, Pakalnis V. Analysis of recommendations from mining
incident investigative reports: a 50-year review. Safety. 2020 Mar; 6(1): 3.
Varallo FR, Passos AC, Nadai TR, Mastroianni PD. Incidents reporting: barriers and strategies to
promote safety culture. Rev Esc Enferm USP. 2018 Oct 4; 52: e03346.
Hong CC, Ramayah T, Subramaniam C. The relationship between critical success factors, internal
control and safety performance in the Malaysian manufacturing sector. Saf Sci. 2018 Apr 1; 104:
–88.
Mumby DK, Kuhn TR. Organizational communication: A critical introduction. Sage Publications;
Nov 29.
Zwetsloot GI, Kines P, Ruotsala R, Drupsteen L, Merivirta ML, Bezemer RA. The importance of
commitment, communication, culture and learning for the implementation of the Zero Accident
Vision in 27 companies in Europe. Saf Sci. 2017 Jul 1; 96: 22–32.
Mavhura E. A systems approach for assessing emergency preparedness in underground mines of
Zimbabwe. Resources Policy. 2019; 62(C): 1–8.
Creswell JW, Creswell JD. Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approach.
Sage publications; 2017 Nov 27.
Rahi S. Research design and methods: A systematic review of research paradigms, sampling issues
and instruments development. International Journal of Economics & Management Sciences (IJEMS).
; 6(2): 1–5.
Mitchell I, Schuster A, Smith K, Pronovost P, Wu A. Patient safety incident reporting: a qualitative
study of thoughts and perceptions of experts 15 years after ‘To Err is Human’. BMJ Qual Saf. 2016
Feb 1; 25(2): 92–9.
Marhavilas P, Koulouriotis D, Nikolaou I, Tsotoulidou S. International occupational health and
safety management-systems standards as a frame for the sustainability: Mapping the territory.
Sustainability. 2018 Oct; 10(10): 3663.
Braun V, Clarke V. Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qual Res Psychol. 2006 Jan 1; 3(2): 77–
Drupsteen L, Guldenmund FW. What is learning? A review of the safety literature to define learning
from incidents, accidents and disasters. J Contingencies Crisis Manag. 2014 Jun; 22(2): 81–96.
Andrews N. Challenges of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in domestic settings: An exploration
of mining regulation vis-à-vis CSR in Ghana. Resour Policy. 2016 Mar 1; 47: 9–17.
Hewitt T, Chreim S, Forster A. Incident reporting systems: a comparative study of two hospital
divisions. Arch Public Health. 2016 Dec; 74(1): 1–9.
Siassakos D, Fox R, Bristowe K, Angouri J, Hambly H, Robson L, Draycott TJ. What makes
maternity teams effective and safe? Lessons from a series of research on teamwork, leadership and
team training. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. 2013 Nov; 92(11): 1239–43.
Zwetsloot G, Leka S, Kines P, Jain A. Vision zero: Developing proactive leading indicators for
safety, health and wellbeing at work. Saf Sci. 2020 Oct 1; 130: 104890.
Schulte PA, Cunningham TR, Guerin RJ, Hennigan B, Jacklitsch B. Components of an occupational
safety and health communication research strategy for small-and medium-sized enterprises. Ann
Work Expo Health. 2018 Sep 13; 62(Supp_1): S12–24.
Drupsteen L, Groeneweg J, Zwetsloot GI. Critical steps in learning from incidents: using learning
potential in the process from reporting an incident to accident prevention. Int J Occup Saf Ergon.
Jan 1; 19(1): 63–77.
Mento A, Jones R, Dirndorfer W. A change management process: Grounded in both theory and
practice. J Chang Manag. 2002 Mar 1; 3(1): 45–59.
Zwetsloot GI, Kines P, Wybo JL, Ruotsala R, Drupsteen L, Bezemer RA. Zero Accident Vision
based strategies in organisations: Innovative perspectives. Saf Sci. 2017 Jan 1; 91: 260–8.
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.