Exploring the motivations for unsafe work practices in the waste management industry

Abstract

This qualitative study explored the motivations for unsafe work behaviour, specifically unsafe work practices, within the local waste management industry, addressing the research question: "What motivates workers to engage in unsafe behaviour at the workplace?" Multiple factors contributing to unsafe work practices at the individual-, work-environment-, and organisational-level were analysed in this study. Twelve employees, equally distributed between front-line workers and managers, volunteered their participation via semi-structured interviews. They discussed work practices observed and experienced at different waste processing facilities in Malta and Gozo within the target organisation. The study excluded third-party contractors. Processed interview data underwent thematic analysis, giving rise to themes that were systematically categorised into the aforementioned three-level framework. Findings revealed that unsafe work practices result from complex and dynamic interactions across the three levels. Individual-level factors included competence and risk perception, fatigue and stress, and personality traits. Work-environment factors encompassed physical work hazards, personal protective equipment, and social and cultural norms. Organisational-level factors comprised communication, training, work pressure, safety culture, and effect of leadership. Significantly, several themes overlapped across the levels, indicating that motivations for unsafe work practices are influenced by various, inter-related factors rather than single, isolated reasons. The study identified critical intervention areas, including: dealing with the normalisation of risk that develops with experience; effects of peer pressure; issues with personal protective equipment (PPE) comfort, accessibility and resistance; lack of communication; staffing shortages and competing pressures between productivity demands and requirements to comply with occupational health and safety regulations and procedures. Key practical recommendations include: implementing visible leadership commitment to safety; establishing multilingual communication systems; improving PPE consultation and procurement processes; managing work pressure through realistic scheduling and adequate staffing; enhancing training standards with regular refresher programmes; and developing cultural change initiatives challenging traditional attitudes toward risk-taking. The research emphasises the need for industry-wide approaches addressing: contractor management; health and wellbeing initiatives; and the promotion of safety as professional competence. This study contributes to safety management literature by providing empirical evidence of the multi-domain causation of unsafe work practices while proposing practical recommendations for waste management organisations seeking to improve workplace safety outcomes through systematic interventions across individual, work-environment, and organisational levels.