The Power of Leading Indicators: How to Keep Your Workplace Safe

Preventing incidents in the workplace is always a top priority for companies and their management. By utilizing leading indicators, companies can take proactive measures to avoid potential accidents and incidents, rather than just reacting after the fact. Here are some practical solutions for utilizing leading indicators in safety and actionable steps for readers to implement.

Why Utilize Leading Indicators in Safety?

Statistics show that proactively identifying and addressing potential hazards before they result in an incident can greatly reduce the number of accidents in the workplace. In Canada, the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) regulations emphasize the importance of prevention and the use of leading indicators.

What are Leading Indicators in Safety?

Leading indicators are metrics that can help predict future safety performance, such as the number of near misses, the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), and safety training attendance.

How to Utilize Leading Indicators in Safety

• Regular Safety Inspections

  • Regular safety inspections can help identify potential hazards before they result in an incident. This can include checking for proper signage, adequate lighting, and ensuring equipment is properly maintained.

• Track Near Misses

  • Tracking near misses can help identify patterns and trends in the workplace. This information can then be used to implement changes and prevent future incidents from occurring.

• Promote PPE Use

  • Wearing PPE is a crucial aspect of workplace safety. Encouraging employees to use PPE and providing proper training can go a long way in preventing incidents.

• Safety Training Attendance

  • Regular safety training attendance is crucial in ensuring employees are aware of the hazards in their workplace and how to avoid them. Keeping track of training attendance can also help identify areas where additional training may be needed.

Real-Life Examples

One example of utilizing leading indicators in safety is a construction company that tracks the use of hard hats on their worksites. By monitoring and promoting the use of hard hats, the company has seen a significant decrease in head injuries on their worksites.

Another example is a manufacturing company that tracks near misses. By analyzing the data collected, the company was able to identify areas where improvements were needed and implemented changes to prevent incidents from occurring in the future.

Taking proactive measures to prevent incidents in the workplace can greatly improve the safety of employees and the company as a whole. On-Track Safety can help companies implement leading indicators in safety and provide additional resources and training. Take action today and contact On-Track Safety to see how we can help you.

Utilizing leading indicators in safety is a practical and effective way for companies to proactively prevent incidents in the workplace. By regularly inspecting worksites, tracking near misses, promoting PPE use, and encouraging safety training attendance, companies can greatly improve the safety of their employees. Don't wait until it's too late, take action today and contact On-Track Safety to see how we can help.