NOSACQ-50 Development and validation

A peer-reviewed scientific article regarding the development and validation of NOSACQ-50 can be found here:

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ergon.2011.08.004 

The following NOSACQ-50 abstract and short paper (upload as pdf) were presented at the Working on Safety Conference in Crete, Greece, 02-10-2008: 

Abstract 

There is increasing scientific support for the causal relation between safety climate and safety performance. Many safety climate questionnaires are available, but their theoretical basis is sometimes unclear, and different types of psychological constructs intermixed.

A questionnaire with documented validity and reliability in different contexts would make for better co-ordination of research in comparative studies. Theoretical advances concerning safety climate are also a prerequisite for effective practical use in working life. The aim of the present work was to develop a Nordic questionnaire for measuring safety climate, based on theory and previous empirical research.

The Nordic development team of the Nordic Safety Climate Questionnaire (NOSACQ) had participants from all five Nordic countries. The work commenced in 2000 and was based on consensus meetings. Based on literature, safety climate was defined as shared perceptions among the members of a social unit, of policies, procedures and practices at management and group level, influencing safety in the organization at a given time. Dimensions to be included were to be selected on the criterion of substantial theoretical or empirical support for their validity for safety motivation or safety outcome. Items were compiled from literature and additional items were construed, when needed.

The prototype questionnaire was administered in the construction industry in all five Nordic countries, in three consecutive pilot tests. The questionnaire was subsequently also tested in a sample of workers in the Swedish food processing industry. Instrument reliability was tested using structural equation modeling and Rasch analysis.

The results of the pilot tests confirmed reliability and validity of the questionnaire. This supports the generic value of NOSACQ and that it has a potential for use in different industrial contexts. The instrument was also found to be valid for predicting self rated safety behavior, a proximal criterion of safety performance.