Individual Factors as Predictors of Risk Perception: Mediation of the Physical Safety Climate, in a Sample of Portuguese Workers

Risk perception is a phenomenon that has been studied by researchers from different areas of scientific knowledge, as it assumes a crucial role in risk management and intervention and accident prevention. The aim of this investigation was to observe the effect of individual factors (self-efficacy, internal locus of control and mental toughness) on risk perception (RP) and to analyze the mediating effect of the physical safety climate in this relationship, in a sample of 216 Portuguese workers of both genders (Mage = 34.30; SDage = 9.45). The multiple regression analysis showed that the predictive variables considered explained 26.6% of the risk perception, with the variables self-efficacy and internal locus of control being the only ones that presented a statistically significant contribution. Mediational analysis showed a partial mediation of the physical safety climate in the relationship between self-efficacy and risk perception.