The influence of work safety scale (WSS) on safety behavior among Paratroopers at the Eight Battalion Para of Royal ranger Regiment (8 RRR), Kem Terendak Melaka

Safety is a serious matter that should not be taken lightly because it involves the soul and should be given priority at all times for every work performed. It is mostly felt in the military where Paratroopers are exposed sustained risk in their daily operations. This study was conducted to identify the level of safety behavior, to identify the influence of Work Safety Scale (WSS) factors on safety behavior, and to investigate whether supervisor/officer safety priority can moderate the influence of job safety perception towards safety behavior among Paratroopers in the Eight Battalion Para of Royal Ranger Regiment. Quantitative method using survey questionnaires were conducted among 599 Paratroopers in the rank groups of both Officers and Other Ranks. The finding of the study had proven that safety behaviors of the Paratroopers were influenced greatly by job safety, coworker safety, officer safety, and management safety practices held in the organisation. Besides, the findings of the study support the Situational Strength Theory that shows the negative association between job safety and safety behavior were significantly weaker among Paratroopers who were managed by immediate officers with high safety priority compared to those whose immediate officers reported low safety priority. Thus, enhancing officer safety priority should be explicitly targeted in safety programs and interventions to ensure that Paratroopers can be optimally healthy and safe. This study is perhaps provides a stepping stone for future theorizing and research into the roles of subordinates and immediate officers’ safety-related behaviors and attitudes in the WSS factors–safety behavior link.