Profiling safety behavior in clinical laboratory environments

Front Public Health. 2025 Sep 26:13:1681513. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1681513. eCollection 2025.

Abstract

Introduction: Laboratory safety behavior is crucial for minimizing risks in high-hazard clinical settings, yet behavioral non-compliance persists as a leading cause of laboratory accidents despite established protocols.

Methods: This study evaluated safety behavior among 92 personnel employed in genetic diagnostic laboratories in Istanbul using a validated 34-item safety behavior scale. Principal component analysis (PCA), multiple linear regression, and k-nearest neighbors (k-NN) classification were employed to analyze the data.

Results: The analysis revealed three underlying behavioral dimensions: personal compliance, proactive behavior, and institutional engagement. Regression analysis indicated that perceived institutional support and the frequency of safety training were significant predictors of overall safety behavior (R 2 = 0.47, p < 0.001). Furthermore, the k-NN classifier utilizing PCA-derived components achieved an 88% accuracy rate in distinguishing high and low compliance profiles.

Discussion: These findings underscore the utility of multivariate behavioral analytics in profiling laboratory safety behavior and highlight the potential of data-informed, classification-based strategies to enhance safety interventions. Adopting behaviorally tailored approaches to training and institutional support may markedly improve compliance and mitigate risk in laboratory environments.

Keywords: behavioral profiling; clinical diagnostics; laboratory behavior; occupational safety; safety behavior.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Laboratories, Clinical* / standards
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Principal Component Analysis
  • Safety Management*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Turkey