A path analysis model of individual variables predicting safety behavior and human error: The mediating effect of situation awareness

Situation awareness is often argued to be an indicator of safety performance. Several factors may influence situation awareness that need to be identified and analyzed. This study investigated the influence of some variables on safety performance and examined the mediating effect of situation awareness. This study was conducted on 601 workers of different industries in Iran. All variables were measured via a multi-sectional questionnaire in a self-report manner. Path analysis modeling was used for data analysis. To measure the validity of the model, the RMSEA, CFI, and R2 coefficients were employed. The results revealed that safety knowledge and sleepiness had significant direct and indirect effects on safety behavior and human error. Fatigue had only a mediating effect on safety behavior and error via situation awareness. Safety locus of control had only a mediating effect on human error through situation awareness. Whereas better safety knowledge and an internal safety locus of control could boost siaituation awareness, daily sleepiness and fatigue had significant, detrimental effects on situation awareness. These variables explained 38% of the variations in situation awareness. A proportion of the effect of personal variables on safety behavior and human error was mediated by situation awareness; thus, situation awareness is the direct cause of some safe behaviors and human errors. •A proportion of the effect of personal variables on safety behavior and human error is mediated by situation awareness.•Safety knowledge, Safety locus of control, sleepiness and Fatigue explain 38% of the variations in situation awareness.•Safety knowledge and sleepiness have significant direct and indirect effect on safety behavior and human error.•Fatigue did not have a significant, direct effect on safety behavior and human error.•Safety locus of control did not have directs effects on human error.