Training for Success: Enhancing Operators’ Job Performance through Safety Training

This study investigates the relationship between safety training effectiveness and job performance among operators at a manufacturing company located in southern Malaysia. The manufacturing sector continues to record a high number of occupational accidents, highlighting the need to evaluate how safety training effectiveness can enhance employee performance and reduce workplace risks. This study adopts a quantitative approach, using a structured self-administered questionnaire to collect data from 108 operators. The questionnaire measured two key variables including safety training effectiveness and job performance. The questionnaire assessed safety training effectiveness that consists of two dimensions including safety training and personal compliance. Besides, job performance was measured in three dimensions focusing on dimensions such as task performance, contextual performance, and counterproductive work behavior. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics through Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS). The findings revealed that both safety training effectiveness and job performance levels were at a high level among the respondents, and there is a significant positive relationship existing between these two studied variables. These results indicate that safety training effectiveness not only improves the employees’ safety awareness and compliance but also enhances their overall job performance.

Safety Training Effectiveness, Job Performance, Operators

1. Abdelhakim, A. S., Jones, E., Redmond, E. C., Griffith, C. J., & Hewedi, M. (2018).Evaluating cabin crew food safety training using the Kirkpatrick model: An airline’ perspective. British Food Journal, 120(7), 1574–1589. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

2. Alnizari, F. (2024). Evaluating the effectiveness of safety training programs in high-risk industries. International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, 14(9), 1–8. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

3. Alsalamah, A., & Callinan, C. (2021). Adaptation of Kirkpatrick’s four-level model of training criteria to evaluate training programmes for head teachers. Education Sciences, 11(3), Article 116. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

4. Ashour, A. M., Hassan, Z., & Alekam, J. M. E. (2018). A conceptual framework for upgrading safety performance by influence safety training, management commitment to safety and work environment: Jordanian hospitals. International Journal of Business and Social Research, 8(7), 25–35. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

5. Bahari, S. F. (2011). An investigation of safety training, safety climate and safety outcomes: A longitudinal study in a Malaysian manufacturing plant [Doctoral dissertation, The University of Manchester]. ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

6. Bayram, M. (2019). Safety training and competence, employee participation and involvement, employee satisfaction, and safety performance: An empirical study on Occupational Health and Safety Management System implementing manufacturing firms. Alphanumeric Journal, 7(2), 301–318. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

7. Bęś, P., & Strzałkowski, P. (2024). Analysis of the effectiveness of safety training methods. Sustainability, 16(7), 2732. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

8. Bhardwaj, P. (2019). Types of sampling in research. Journal of the Practice of Cardiovascular Sciences, 5(3), 157–163. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

9. Burke, M. J., Sarpy, S. A., SmithCrowe, K., ChanSerafin, S., Salvador, R. O., & Islam, G. (2006). Relative effectiveness of worker safety and health training methods. American Journal of Public Health, 96(2), 315–324. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

10. Campbell, J. P., & Wiernik, B. M. (2015). The modeling and assessment of work performance. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 2, 47–74. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

11. Chu, X., Yu, J., Litifu, A., Zhao, W., Wei, X., Wang, P., & Wei, J. (2024). Organizational support and task performance: A multiple mediation model. Frontiers in Psychology, 14. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

12. Dodoo, J. E., & AlSamarraie, H. (2023). A systematic review of factors leading to occupational injuries and fatalities. Journal of Public Health (Germany), 31(1), 99–113. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

13. Dong, X., Entzel, P., Men, Y., Chowdhury, R., & Schneider, S. (2004). Effects of safety and health training on work-related injury among construction laborers. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 46(12), 1222–1228. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

14. Dong, Y. (2023). Descriptive statistics and its applications. In Highlights in Science, Engineering and Technology, Volume 47. Đại học Kinh tế Quốc dân. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

15. Estudillo, B., Forteza, F. J., & Carretero- Gómez, J. M. (2025). Effectiveness of training in reducing accidents in construction companies. Journal of Safety Research, 92, 283–291. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

16. Haslinda, A., Saharulliza S., Roslan, N. H., & Mohamed, R. (2016). Safety training, company policy and communication for effective accident management. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 6(9), 141–158. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

17. Inderjit, S., Abdullah, H., Yaacob, S., Ismail, Z., Kwong, F. W., & Ong Hai Liaw, J. (2021). The relationship between task and contextual job performance among middle managers in the Malaysian Army. Zulfaqar Journal of Defence Management, Social Science & Humanities, 4(2), Article 92. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

18. Kirkpatrick, J. D., & Kirkpatrick, W. K. (2016). Kirkpatrick’s four levels of training evaluation (Illustrated ed.). ATD Press. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

19. Koopmans, L., Bernaards, C. M., Hildebrandt, V. H., de Vet, H. C. W., & van der Beek, A. J. (2014). Measuring individual work performance: Identifying and selecting indicators. Work: A Journal of Prevention, Assessment and Rehabilitation, 48(2), 229–238. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

20. Koopmans, L., Bernaards, C. M., Hildebrandt, V. H., Schaufeli, W. B., de Vet, H. C. W., & van der Beek, A. J. (2011). Conceptual frameworks of individual work performance: A systematic review. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 53(8), 856–866. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

21. Krejcie, R. V., & Morgan, D. W. (1970). Determining sample size for research activities. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 30(3), 607-610. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

22. Lee, Y. (2022). Employees’ negative megaphoning in response to organizational injustice: The mediating role of employee–organization relationship and negative affect. Journal of Business Ethics, 178(1), 89-103. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

23. Marcus, B., Taylor, O. A., Hastings, S. E., Sturm, A., & Weigelt, O. (2013). The structure of counterproductive work behavior: A review, a structural meta- analysis, and a primary study. Journal of Management, 42(1), 203–233. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

24. Medina- Garrido, J. A., Biedma- Ferrer, J. M., & Ramos- Rodríguez, A. R. (2023). Relationship between work- family balance, employee well- being and job performance. arXiv. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

25. Medeiros, C. O., Cavalli, S. B., Salay, E., & Proença, R. P. C. (2011). Assessment of the methodological strategies adopted by food safety training programmes for food service workers: A systematic review. Food Control, 22(8), 1136–1144. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

26. Meyers, M. C., Kooij, D., Kroon, B., de Reuver, R., & van Woerkom, M. (2020). Organizational support for strengths use, work engagement, and contextual performance: The moderating role of age. Applied Research in Quality of Life, 15(2), 485–502. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

27. Mustapha, Z., Akomah, B. B., Nkomo, W. M., Abilgah, T., & Thwala, W. D. (2025). Impact of safety training and communication on construction project productivity: Case study of Cape Coast. Journal of Civil Engineering Frontiers, 6(1), 11–17. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

28. Mwaruta, S. S., Karanja, P. N., & Kamaara, M. (2023). Effect of occupational safety and health training on performance of cement manufacturing firms in Kenya. Journal: The Integrated Migrant Worker Safety Training Evaluation Model (IMSTEM) [Working paper]. Safety Science. Accepted March 4, 2021. University of Sheffield. 2(1), 1–13. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

29. Nielsen, K. M., Shepherd, R., Vignoli, M., & LorentePrieto, L. (2021). The Integrated Migrant Worker Safety Training Evaluation Model (IMSTEM) [Working paper]. Safety Science. Accepted March 4, 2021. University of Sheffield. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

30. Noor Arzahan, I. S., Ismail, Z., & Yasin, S. M. (2022). Resilient safety culture and safety performance: Examining the effect in Malaysian Paramedic Training Institute through Importance-Performance Map Analysis (IPMA). Safety, 8(2), 25. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

31. Nuangjamnong, C. (2022). The COVID- 19 epidemic with employees’ job satisfaction and performance on work from home during lockdown in Bangkok (Psychology and Education Journal, 59(1), pp. 416–437) [SSRN preprint]. SSRN. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

32. Ohemeng, F. L. K., Obuobisa-Darko, T., & Amoako-Asiedu, E. (2019). Employee engagement and task performance in state-owned enterprises in developing countries: The case study of the power sector in Ghana. Journal of Public Affairs, 20(2), Article e2021. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

33. Reio, T. G., Rocco, T. S., & Smith, D. H. (2017). A critique of Kirkpatrick’s evaluation model. New Horizons in Adult Education and Human Resource Development, 29(2), 35–53. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

34. Ricci, F. and Bracco, F. (2022). Introduction to the Special Issue: Safety Training Effectiveness: A research agenda. European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education, 12(10), 1633–1634. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

35. Robson, L. S., Stephenson, C. M., Schulte, P. A., Amick, B. C. III, Irvin, E. L., Eggerth, D. E., Chan, S., Bielecky, A. R., Wang, A. M., Heidotting, T. L., A systematic review of the effectiveness of occupational health and safety training. Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health, 38(3), 193– 208. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

36. Rosenfeld, Y., Sacks, R., Baum, H., & Rozenfeld, O. (2006). Efficient and timely use of safety resources in construction. In D. Fang, R. M. Choudhry, & J. W. Hinze (Eds.), Proceedings of CIB W99 International Conference on Global Unity for Safety & Health in Construction, Beijing, China (June 28–30, 2006) (pp. 290–297). [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

37. Veeriah, R., Abdul Aziz, K., & Abd Aziz, N. A. (2023). The influence of organizational factors on counterproductive work behaviour (CWB) in Malaysian SMEs. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 13(4), 1259– 1273. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

38. Santi, R., Purbudi, W., & Dyah, S. (2020). The effect of safety training and workers involvement on safety compliance with safety knowledge as a mediation variables. Russian Journal of Agricultural and Socio-Economic Sciences (RJOAS), 11(107), 239–246. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

39. Shehab, M., Shuaibi, S., Qadhi, I., & Alfadhli, A. (2021). Effectiveness of inspectors’ team in increasing compliance with personal protective equipment use and reducing COVID-19 infection spread among healthcare workers. Infectious Prevention in Practice, 3(2), 100137. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

40. Wax, A., Rodriguez, W. A., & Asencio, R. (2022). Spilling tea at the water cooler: A meta-analysis of the literature on workplace gossip. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 12(4). [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

41. Yiwen, F., & Hahn, J. (2021). Job insecurity in the COVID-19 pandemic on counterproductive work behavior of millennials: A time-lagged mediated and moderated model. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18, 8354. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

• Is Strike Relevant in the Modern Era? Evidence from Indian Manufacturing, IT/Ites, FMCG, Electronics and Emerging Sectors
• A Qualitative Exploration of Work-Life Balance Among Private Universities Lecturers in Klang Valley
• Leadership Styles and Employee Motivation: Examining the Impact on Job Satisfaction and Turnover
• Human Resource Management, Organizational Culture, and Good Governance Practices: A Structural Equation Model on Service Orientation among Government-Owned and Controlled Corporation in Davao Region
• Cost of Silence: Exploring the Impact of Organisational Silence on Employee Engagement