If you are waiting for an incident to occur before making a change, it is already too late. Leading indicators are safety metrics that companies can use to recognize and abate hazards before they experience a loss. By measuring the possibility of an incident occurring, companies can take steps to prevent the incident and keep workers safe on the job.
Evaluating a company’s safety rating based on past performance and historical data does not provide an accurate picture of the business. While it certainly is important to recognize loss trends, this should not be the sole focal point of your health and safety program. Focusing on proactive safety measures, such as leading indicators, tells us what a company is doing to prevent incidents.
If your company is looking to improve its safety rating, it is recommended that you shift your focus to leading indicators. These indicators should be:
Remember that the goal of leading indicators is to measure the positive versus the things your organization is failing to do. While there is no “one size fits all” formula for safety, you should always focus on constructive problem solving and make it clear how you can improve.
So how exactly do we recognize and abate hazards? Every organization will have their own methods, but at Handex we rely on three main indicators:
Whichever indicators you use within your organization, they should emphasize communication, recognition and abatement skills to ensure success.
Leading indicators are pre-incident measurements, as opposed to lagging indicators, which are measurements collected after an incident occurs. At Handex , we believe it is more effective to focus on successes, rather than losses, to drive a continuous improve within any organization.