Tracking performance is critical to continual improvement and success

Tracking performance is critical to continual improvement and success, but when it comes to safety, many companies struggle to identify measurements with a strong correlation to successful safety performance.
Organizations often make the mistake of relying exclusively on lagging indicators, such as incident rates, lost or restricted workdays, or workers’ compensation costs. While these can be useful and valuable indicators, they only provide an “after the fact” reactive view of your safety program.
Conversely, some companies have developed systems that only use leading indicators—that is, the measurements that identify, track, measure, and correct the factors that have a strong correlation with potential accidents. The goal is to use this information to identify accident casual factors and correct them before an accident happens.
So what do you measure, and how do you use measurements to improve EHSQ performance? What balance of measures is right for your organization?

• Identify differences between training (lagging) and leading measures and metrics—and how they can be used in an effective and meaningful way
• Evaluate the limitations on the meaningful application of trailing measures and leading indicators
• Create balance in safety performance measurement systems including harmony between leading and lagging measures and among the types of leading measures, such as activity and outcome measures
• Select and use EHSQ measures that drive high performance safety management  success
• Create and improve leading measurement systems
• Include benchmarking considerations in your EHSQ measurement systems
• Factor in important considerations, including audits results from other companies and audits specific to your industry, as a key measure of safety performance improvement
• Evaluate which EHSQ leading indicators make the most sense to track and why they have the greatest impact on your company’s safety and health program
• Use leading measures to motivate, drive performance, and foster continuous improvement
• Apply successful strategies for objectively maximizing leading safety measures
• Interpret the value of qualitative EHSQ measures and why safety professionals must resist pressures to avoid them
• “Talk the walk” when discussing your EHSQ performance factors with HIGHER AUTHORITIES board of directors
• Identify and evaluate resources to assist you in developing your EHSQ metrics program