Lagging or Leading in Safety?

There are many ways to track claim losses for your business: accident investigations, incident rates, claim costs, and claim frequency, among others. Tracking losses helps identify the strengths and weaknesses in your business, and where you should concentrate to reduce your risks and costs.

Preventing accidents from happening at all is one certain way to make sure your business isn’t filing accident claims. Look for “leading indicators,” actions that are taken and measured to reduce the risk for injuries or claims to occur. They can involve part of the production process, management responsibilities, or desired employee behaviors. The business can track them to analyze how effective the company’s safety measures are. Several are listed below.

Management

• Number of times each year that upper management reviews leading indicator reports and loss performance.
• Percent of accident investigations completed on time, with effective operation-driven corrective actions, and with timely completion of corrective actions.
• Number of times a worker was corrected for an unsafe act when an accident did not occur.
• Percent of department workers who attend safety training meetings.
• Number of safety training meetings that upper management attends.
• Percent of attendance at safety committee meetings.
• Safety factors included in performance reviews at all levels.

Safety Process

• Hazard analysis completed and in place for each task.
• Number of general work instructions with safety instructions included.
• Number of department audits completed.
• Number and type of hazards identified: Do they match loss trends? Do they match hazard analysis?
• Are they addressed to prevent them from occurring again?
• Number of action items promptly completed.
• Number of unresolved actions: Why and what will be done?
• Audits scored and evaluated to determine common trends to address.
• Number of safety committee meeting minutes completed on time.

Training

• Measure percent done within 48 hours of starting work.
• Score tests to show competency following orientation.
• Number of follow-ups with new employees to see how they are doing.

Employee Participation

• Employee behavior observation by supervisors, with follow-up discussion with the employee if necessary.
• Percent of people participating in some safety activity each month. (fire drill, submitting a safety suggestion, leading a part of safety meeting, etc.).
• Meeting participation rates measured.
• Number of hazards or near-misses reported.
• Number of write ups violating safety rules.
• Number of safety ideas submitted or reported to management.

Personal Protective Equipment

• Personal protective equipment assessments completed and given to all employees.
• Number of write ups for improper use of personal protective equipment.

Choose several indicators that can be tracked regularly, and that are part of the business. For example, one suggested indicator is “Meeting participation rates,” which can be useful if staff meets regularly and has had some difficulties getting everyone to attend. But if employees are often in multiple locations, meetings may not be held that often, making it a poor leading indicator.

Measure each indicator to see if company rules are being followed. If workers are taking risks — and possibly risking injury — you will be able to see where shortcuts have been taken. Then you can work to improve processes and quality control. Over time, you are likely to see better results in your leading indicators. That can be a promotional tool, telling your employees and the world that your company is safe and successful.