Objective  To examine the relationships among risk preference, work stress, and unsafe behavior among coal miners for providing evidences to reduce unsafe behaviors in coal miners.

  Methods  With cluster random sampling, we recruited 721 miners in a state-owned coal mine in Shanxi province and conducted a survey using work stress questionnaire, unsafe behavior scale and risk preference scale among the miners in September 2018. Structural equation model (SEM) was adopted to explore relationships among the variables.

  Results  A partially mediating effect of risk preference on the relationship between work stress and unsafe behavior was observed among the coal miners, which accounted for 55.87% of the total variance. The unadjusted regression coefficient for interactive effect of work stress multiplying risk preference was significant in a regression equation with unsafe behavior as a dependent variable (β = 0.003, t = 686.518, P < 0.001); the interpretant was significant after introducing the interactive effect of the two variables (ΔR² = 0.016, P < 0.001).

  Conclusion  Risk preference plays a mediating and moderating role on the relationship between work stress and unsafe behaviors among coal miners.