Structural Equation Modelling of Safety Culture Promotion among New Employees at Abu Dhabi National Oil Company

Abstract

Strengthening safety culture has become a strategic imperative for high-risk industries, particularly in the oil and gas sector where operational failures can lead to severe human and environmental consequences. For the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), fostering a strong safety culture among newly recruited employees is essential, as early behavioural formation influences long-term safety performance. Addressing this need, the present study develops and evaluates a structural model to identify key factors that promote Safety Culture among ADNOC’s new employees. Data were collected from 317 newly hired operational staff using a convenience sampling method, and SmartPLS was employed to assess the fitness criteria of both the measurement and structural components of the proposed model prior to conducting hypothesis testing among the constructs. The findings show that Top Management and Esteem Needs exert the strongest positive influence on safety culture (β = 0.293), underscoring the importance of leadership, recognition, and managerial involvement. Relationship with Co-workers (β = 0.282) and Safety Awareness Practices (β = 0.250) also emerged as strong predictors, highlighting the role of teamwork and consistent safety engagement. Other variables such as Organisational Commitment to Employee Health, Availability of Health Resources, Job Safety and Work Hours, and Awareness of Safety Training Effectiveness, showed weak but positive associations. Several predictors demonstrated small negative coefficients, such as Understanding of Awareness Safety Procedures, Wellness Program Participation, and Awareness of Potential Hazards. These results indicate potential gaps in employees’ comprehension of procedures or weaknesses in how related programs are implemented. The findings also show that leadership support, peer relationships, and practical safety awareness practices are the strongest positive drivers of safety culture, while other areas may require additional organisational refinement.