Douphrate David I, Rodriguez Anabel, Kines Pete, Hossein Javid Amir
Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University.
Division of Safety Research, National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Denmark.
Workplace Health Saf. 2025 Apr;73(4):180-192. doi: 10.1177/21650799241302817. Epub 2024 Dec 13.
BackgroundPrior research suggests leader-based interventions are considered to have a much stronger influence on worker safety behavior and climate than worker-based interventions. However, no prior research has evaluated training effectiveness of safety-specific leadership skill development for front-line supervisors on dairy farms. A tailored safety leadership training program targeting dairy farm supervisors was developed, delivered, and evaluated for its training effect on the supervisor's safety leadership behavior.MethodsA 12-module safety leadership training program was developed and delivered in an asynchronous format using e-learning methods to 73 dairy farm supervisors, representing 30 farms across five western U.S. states. We employed the Kirkpatrick Model to evaluate different levels of training effectiveness.FindingsEvaluation of knowledge gained among participants revealed significant differences between pre- and post-test scores with medium to very large learning effect sizes across all training modules, particularly with training modules addressing safety culture, workplace conflict, and safety meetings. Safety leadership behavior change evaluation revealed significant pre-post training effects across most training modules, particularly regarding safety dialogue, hazard assessment, safety modeling, and conducting safety meetings.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that safety leadership training can result in essential leadership behavior change among front-line dairy farm supervisors.Application to PracticeThis study provides many insights into the successful implementation of a safety leadership training program in a challenging industrial sector (rural/remote workplaces, immigrant workforce), as well as training effectiveness evaluation using novel data collection methodology. Additional research is needed on the effectiveness and sustainability of safety leadership training in high-risk industrial sectors such as agriculture.
背景
先前的研究表明，基于领导者的干预措施对员工安全行为和氛围的影响被认为比基于员工的干预措施更强。然而，之前没有研究评估针对奶牛场一线主管的特定安全领导技能发展的培训效果。针对奶牛场主管制定了一个量身定制的安全领导力培训计划，并对其培训效果进行了评估。
方法
开发了一个包含12个模块的安全领导力培训计划，并以异步形式通过电子学习方法向73名奶牛场主管进行授课，这些主管来自美国西部五个州的30个农场。我们采用柯克帕特里克模型来评估不同层次的培训效果。
结果
对参与者所学知识的评估显示，所有培训模块的测试前和测试后分数之间存在显著差异，学习效果大小从中等到非常大，特别是在涉及安全文化、工作场所冲突和安全会议的培训模块中。安全领导行为变化评估显示，大多数培训模块在培训前后有显著效果，特别是在安全对话、危害评估、安全示范和召开安全会议方面。
结论
我们的研究结果表明，安全领导力培训可以使奶牛场一线主管的基本领导行为发生改变。
实践应用
本研究为在具有挑战性的工业部门（农村/偏远工作场所、移民劳动力）成功实施安全领导力培训计划以及使用新颖的数据收集方法进行培训效果评估提供了许多见解。对于农业等高风险工业部门的安全领导力培训的有效性和可持续性，还需要进一步研究。
