Abstract

This essay examines the role that risk perception, risk attitude, and affective attachment of the worker with the company, respectively have, in determining the compliance with occupational safety standards. Looking at the empirical evidence that shows no evidence of the role of individual factors, such as risk perception and risk attitude, in determining the adherence to safety standards, we emphasize the important role of safety climate as the main agent. Within this framework, we insert an innovative element, that is, the degree of attachment of the worker to the company, which, in the presence of a positive safety climate, increases compliance with standards in a virtuous cycle. At the same time, however, we also underline the potential danger that the excessive identification or excessive attachment of the employee to the company can have negative effects by reducing not only the well-being but also the adherence to standards, as is the case with the self-employed workers who worry more about the costs than the benefits of adhering to safety standards.