THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH (OSH) COMMUNICATION AND PROMOTION COURSE IN IMPROVING SAFETY BEHAVIOR AMONG OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH STUDENTS

Abstract

The development of safety behavior is a fundamental objective in Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) education, as students are prepared to become future safety professionals and agents of change in the workplace. The OSH Communication and Promotion course plays a strategic role in fostering safety values, attitudes, and behaviors through persuasive and educational communication approaches. This study aims to analyze the effectiveness of the OSH Communication and Promotion course in improving the safety behavior of Occupational Safety and Health students. This research employed a quantitative approach using a quasi-experimental design with a one-group pretest–posttest model. In this design, students’ safety behavior was measured before and after participating in the course, without a control group. The respondents consisted of OSH students enrolled in the course during the current semester. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire assessing two primary dimensions of safety behavior: safety compliance (adherence to safety procedures) and safety participation (active involvement in safety-related activities). Data analysis was conducted using a paired sample t-test to determine significant differences between pretest and posttest scores.The findings indicate a significant improvement in students’ safety behavior after completing the course. These results suggest that communication-based learning, participatory discussions, and practical safety promotion activities effectively enhance safety behavior and strengthen students safety mindset as prospective OSH professionals.