The construction of a people-oriented safety culture is the key method to strengthen miners’ rule-following
behavior (RFB) and decrease the probability of accidents in mines. Beginning with two forms of the
inner composition of safety culture, this study dissects the theoretical connotations of espoused and lived
safety cultures. Based on the distinction between the types of safety regulatory frameworks, such as
intrinsic and extrinsic RFB, we studied previous theories (social exchange theory and person-organization
fit theory) and analyzed the role of two forms of safety culture and supplies-needs congruence on miners’
RFB. Using quadratic polynomial regression with response surface analysis, we drew upon a survey of 276
miners in large state-owned coal mines in China to analyze the influence of coal mine espoused safety
culture–miners’ needs (ESC–MN) congruence on miners’ RFB and discussed the mediating role of lived
safety culture–miners’ needs (LSC–MN) congruence. Our findings demonstrate that coal mine ESC–MN
congruence has strong non-linear effects on both intrinsic and extrinsic RFB, and that the mediating role
of LSC–MN congruence is strong toward intrinsic, but not toward extrinsic, RFB. Additionally, our study
brings up the definition of fit congruence in coal mine ESC–MN and calculates its range of applicability to
the actual needs of miners. Based on our research results, we present suggestions for further research on
coal mine safety management.