A positive safety climate has proven to be a key factor that significantly and positively enhances occupational health and safety (OHS) performance in the palm oil processing sector. This recent study was conducted by Rival Lino, Budiyanto, and Agustedi from Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Ekonomi Indonesia (STIESIA) Surabaya, and published in July 2026. This research is highly critical given that the palm oil processing industry carries a high level of workplace risk, making the optimal implementation of safety systems essential to reducing accident rates.
The palm oil processing industry in Indonesia—particularly in Riau Province as one of its main production centers—relies heavily on workforce performance amidst the challenges of heavy equipment usage and exposure to extreme temperatures. In practice, however, ongoing challenges persist, such as low awareness regarding personal protective equipment (PPE), a lack of safety education, and weak management supervision. This situation is further exacerbated by companies often treating occupational safety as a cost burden rather than a long-term investment.
To examine this phenomenon, the study applied a quantitative approach utilizing a survey method via a Likert-scale questionnaire. The sample was determined using a purposive sampling technique involving employees at palm oil processing companies. Data analysis was carried out using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS software to test validity, reliability, variable relationships, and moderating effects.
Based on the data analysis, the study highlights several key findings:
- Safety climate has a positive and significant effect on safety performance, with commitment to safety acting as the most dominant indicator.
- Safety behavior (especially safety participation) does not show a significant effect on safety performance due to inconsistent and reactive behavior patterns.
- Transformational leadership as a moderating variable fails to strengthen the relationship between variables, and even tends to weaken the influence of safety climate on safety performance.
These findings indicate that leadership roles in the field remain suboptimal, particularly in terms of role modeling, communication, and balancing production targets with occupational safety. Consequently, companies are advised to comprehensively strengthen management commitment, provide regular safety training, and introduce incentive systems for workers who prioritize safety to ensure that safety culture is consistently implemented.
Author Profiles
- Rival Lino – Researcher and OHS practitioner from Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Ekonomi Indonesia (STIESIA) Surabaya.
- Prof. Dr. Budiyanto, M.S. – Lecturer and researcher at Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Ekonomi Indonesia (STIESIA) Surabaya.
- Dr. Agustedi, M.M. – Lecturer and researcher at Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Ekonomi Indonesia (STIESIA) Surabaya.
Research Sources:
- Article Title: The Impact of Safety Climate and Safety Participation on Employee Safety Performance with Transformational Leadership as a Moderator in the Palm Oil Sector
- Journal Name: International Journal of Management Analytics (IJMA)
- Publication Year: 2026
- DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59890/ijma.v4i3.32
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