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2.10 Measuring Safety Performance

2.10 Measuring Safety Performance

Measuring safety performance will help you document the effectiveness of the safety and health program. The goal is to continually improve workplace safety.

2.10.1 Introduction

Safety performance can be measured using a variety of tracking methods. These tracking methods can be divided into leading indicators, which measure activities, and lagging indicators, which measure outcomes.

2.10.2 Leading Indicators

Leading indicators measure proactive activities that are intended to prevent incidents. These indicators should be used to track and measure the number of completed activities in comparison to the established goals for how many activities should be held. Selecting and focusing on a few leading indicators can reduce the frequency and severity of incidents. Examples of leading indicators may include tracking the following activities:

  • Safety, health, and environmental program evaluations (SHEPE)

  • Safety trainings

  • Safety committee meetings

  • Hazard Forms

  • Job safety observations

  • Hazard assessment surveys

These leading indicators can be measured by calculating the percent of activities held out of the total number planned.

2.10.3 Lagging Indicators

Lagging indicators measure the results of what has happened. They can be used to create benchmarks to gauge positive or negative changes. A positive change, such as a reduction in the incident rate, can be an indication of an effective safety and health program. Negative changes, such as an increase in incident rates, should trigger a review of past incidents. The review may identify conditions that, if corrected, may prevent similar incidents. Examples of lagging indicators may include the following:

Lagging indicators can be measured by comparing trends over time.

Incident Rate Formula

Multiply a (an appropriate measure, such as the number of incidents your organization has had in a given year) by 200,000 (the number of hours worked by 100 employees who are working 40 hours per week and 50 weeks per year, providing a standard baseline measure for comparison). Divide that number by b (the total number of employee hours worked in the same year). The result will be your incident rate.

(a × 200,000) ÷ b = incident rate