THE ROLE OF SAFETY LEADERSHIP IN OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY (2015–2025): A THEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW

This study examines the role of safety leadership in shaping occupational health and safety (OHS) outcomes through a narrative–thematic review of empirical and review studies published between 2015 and 2025. The paper synthesizes evidence across high-risk sectors, focusing on leadership styles, leading and lagging safety indicators, and mediating mechanisms such as safety culture, employee engagement, and communication. The findings demonstrate that transformational and safety-specific leadership approaches are consistently associated with improved safety behaviors, stronger safety climate perceptions, and reductions in accident and injury rates.