Human Resources and Safety Performance in China’s Coal Mining Firms

Abstract

This paper investigates both theoretically and empirically the key factors that impact occupational safety and health (OSH) performance in China’s coal mining firms. Based on a unique dataset containing 200 accidental observations at the establishment level, we examine the effects of human resource practices, workers’ unsafe behaviors, and the firm ownership structure on the casualties, and found supporting evidence for our propositions. Almost all the fatal accidents can be attributed to human factors, which are in turn closely related to HRM issues. Future research should focus more on the dynamic process of HRM-OSH within the firm.