Determining the factors affecting implementation of health and safety app towards improvement of safety culture: A study in school of engineering building

Abstract

The improvement of safety culture in the academic sector is often overlooked, as Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) practices are typically associated with industries. Consequently, research on health and safety in educational centers building is limited. This study aims to bridge this gap by investigating the factors influencing the implementation of a health and safety application in an engineering school building in the Philippines, using the dimensions of safety culture and the UTAUT framework. The research involved designing and executing the health & safety app using the affiliated MS 365 – Microsoft Power Apps, which was tested by 232 engineering students in Metro Manila. The obtained data were then analyzed using the Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) approach. The results indicated that the users' intention to use and perceived usability were crucial factors influencing their behavior towards the app. Additionally, performance expectancy and social influence affected their behavioral intentions towards the application. Moreover, the app's perceived usability and usage behavior significantly influenced users' overall participation in health and safety activities. This study stands as a unique contribution to the literature on safety culture in the academic sector. The study emphasizes the importance of incorporating technology in health and safety culture on campus, benefiting researchers, academic institutions, industries, and students alike. By integrating technology such as safety training apps, institutions can improve safety performance, empower students with relevant skills, and enhance overall safety culture on campus and in workplaces.