The Challenge of Safety Metrics

Not sure if your safety metrics are hitting the mark?

Well, a white paper, The Challenge of Safety Metrics: Leading indicators in real-world applications, from the National Safety Council, released on November 12, “explores the real-world conditions that influence whether leading indicator programs take root and deliver lasting value.”

The research was developed via a collaborative effort between NSC and members of its Campbell Institute. Drawing on insights from professionals across logistics, aviation and manufacturing, it highlights the organizational, cultural, and strategic factors that shape success.

Among the key findings: Leadership engagement is the No. 1 enabler. “When leaders model expectations and align on goals, metrics gain traction,” the resource states.

Other findings:

• Collaboration between organizational functions (safety and operations, for example) and giving more ownership of leading indicators to individual worksites “help ensure indicators are relevant, actionable and embedded in daily operations.”
• Data quality and usability matter more than quantity. Organizations should focus on “meaningful metrics.”
• Nonpunitive reporting, shared accountability and other reporting structures support sustained use of leading indicators.

The paper, which features a case study on how one company unified its environment, health and safety metrics during a merger, also includes practical applications. Among them:

Engage stakeholders at all levels to champion the use of proactive safety metrics and foster a culture of shared responsibility.

Encourage open reporting, communicate results through proper leadership channels and follow up consistently as part of a campaign to ensure organizational transparency.

Prioritize a “focused set” of meaningful indicators that reflect the organization’s highest safety risks. The indicators should be actionable and clearly understood across all levels.

Invest in training and systems that support continuous learning, adaptation and improvement in safety practices.

“While the value of leading indicators is well established, their success ultimately depends on an organization’s readiness to implement them,” the white paper states. “Defining better metrics is only part of the equation: building the cultural, structural and strategic foundation to support their use is what turns potential into performance.”