Measuring your Company's Safety Performance: Part 2, Leading and Lagging Indicators

Last blog post we discussed how a popular mainstay of measuring safety effectiveness isn't all it's cracked up to be. Incident rates, longtime make-or-break measure for how your safety program is doing... don't do what we've long thought they do.

So what now?

Safety has long suffered from a data problem. As more of the world moves into gathering and analyzing data, the traditional way of measuring data in safety means there is less data available.

Think about it -- the safer your company becomes, the less incidents happen (which, obviously, is great!), and then the less information you have about what might go wrong.

As time goes on, you can become blind to risks that might be bubbling under the surface. New risks that you haven't recognized yet, and older risks that may be increasing again.

This is scary but manageable. The solution isn't to throw up our hands and give up: we just have to be smarter about what data we measure.

The more traditional way of data gathering in safety is called "lagging indicators." This is because we measure something after the fact. Common lagging indicators include:

 

- The big baddie we already talked about: Incident rates

- Worker's compensation number of claims and costs

- Fines from regulatory agencies (OSHA, etc)

- Lost workdays

- Property damage costs 

 

There is nothing wrong with measuring these, but it is important to recognize their limitations. These are all "rear view mirror" perspectives. Once you've addressed the root cause of the kinds of incidents you are seeing, there will be less of this type of data available. Congratulations, you're moving toward safety success! But, unfortunately, your work is not done.

The next phase is managing those risks that you don't necessarily see. You need a "forward view." This can be provided by intelligently measuring what are called "leading indicators." Most of these relate to measuring proactive actions taken toward identifying risks and preventing incidents. While you will never know for sure that you've prevented a specific incident, this data will show how proactive your company is being in reducing your risk. 

 

Some examples of leading indicators include:

- Rate of incident investigations closed vs. open

- Rate of action items identified during incident investigations closed vs. open

- Rate of safety inspections completed on time 

- Rate of employee attendance at safety trainings

- Number of toolbox talks completed 

- Number of job safety analyses (JSA's) completed

- Number of risk assessments completed

- Number of near misses reported (while near misses themselves are lagging indicators, the fact that employees report them are leading indicators!)

- Rate of equipment inspections completed as required

 

Measuring this data opens up several important possibilities. First, it gives you an opportunity to assign SMART annual safety goals to employees, if your employees already have annual performance management goals. These goals are in their control, as they are not tied to incident rates. Did they attend all assigned safety meetings? Did they complete their equipment inspections in the correct timeframe? This gives employees ownership of the safety program as well.

Second, this data is invaluable to help with that "forward view." While we cannot ever know the future, these measurements help defray those unknown risks by demonstrating that your company is proactive.

Third, this is a great source of data if you ever do come under investigation by a regulatory agency. You can absolutely show all the proactive actions taken by your company in an attempt to make your company safer.

You don't need to start out measuring each leading indicator above -- why not pick a couple for this next year and start there? The constellation of leading indicators you choose must make sense to you as a company.

If you have any questions at all, reach out to TT&S for consultation on what type of indicators might make the most sense for your company to measure. 

 

 

Measuring your Company's Safety Performance: Part 1, the incident rate

 

Have you ever considered ways to measure your safety program for effectiveness?

Many companies decide to use their incident rate as a safety measuring stick. After all, it's a metric commonly used in contractor vetting processes, and it's reported in the aggregate by industry under the Bureau of Labor Services (BLS). Must be a good thing right?

Well... this is one of those cases where the 'official' metric is not the best fit, especially for smaller companies. Turns out, your incident rate is statistically invalid unless you happen to be calculating with millions of work hours. Check out this quote from the April 2021 Professional Safety Journal: 

"Unless hundreds of millions of work hours are amassed, the confidence bands are so wide that TRIR [incident rate] cannot be accurately reported to even one decimal point. The implication is that the TRIR for almost all companies is virtually meaningless because they do not accumulate enough work hours." (https://www.eei.org/-/media/Project/EEI/Documents/Issues-and-Policy/Power-to-Prevent-SIF/PSJ---TRIR-Paper.pdf)

This whole article is pretty down about incident rates in general. First, they do not predict or show any correlation with fatalities, which means that companies with higher incident rates are no more likely to have a fatality than a company with a lower incident rate. This is a topic of active study in the safety world, as it's becoming more apparent that the strategies to prevent lower-impact incidents are not always the same ones that are helpful in preventing higher-impact incidents, such as fatalities.

Further, incident rates are sometimes embedded into performance management systems for employees. For many companies, it is a requirement that one annual goal for each employee be safety-related. This is a good step in general, but incident rates have a way of sneaking into these goals. For frontline employees, this can mean "no incidents or near misses," which discourages honest reporting, and for managers the goal is often "an improved incident rate." However, as the article discusses, the improved incident rate is subject to random variation much of the time.

The article also says that incident rates are not helpful in gauging program effectiveness over the short-term. It might be easy to infer that because your incident rate went down over a couple years, you must be doing something right. Incident rates are popular measures for current safety initiatives for companies for this reason. However, as the article discusses, incident rates are not useful for evaluation unless there's 100 months of data -- that's over eight years. There's no room for gauging shorter-term initiatives if that's the case.

Well... what now?

Over the next couple of weeks we'll be discussing better strategies to measure your safety program. If you want to get a leg up, you can go ahead and search up "leading and lagging indicators" -- but it's a wild world out there, with lots of information. We're hoping we can break it down into manageable pieces for our member companies in the next few posts.

Changes to CDL Drivers' Med Cards

For employers with CDL drivers, things just got shaken up a little with changes to medical card filing requirements. In short, med cards have gone fully online, and while paper copies may be used by drivers as a backup documentation, everything will now be confirmed online. Let's break down the new process in terms of how it affects both employers and drivers.

Employers

So far employers have kept a current copy of drivers' med cards in their driver files. With this new change, this is no longer a requirement, but it also makes it so employers need to keep an extra close eye on annual driver motor vehicle records (MVR's), which will list the CDL expiration date on the document. While this is nothing new and has always been a requirement, make absolutely sure to request those records annually as this will now be the only way to verify drivers' CDL expiration dates.

With this change employers are also released from checking that the medical examiner is on the national registry for CDL medical examiners.

Drivers

Your med card doctor is no longer required to give you a paper copy of your medical card record, as they submit this information directly to the state. However, it's recommended that drivers still ask for this paper copy for their own records and to have a record of their expiration date.

While this is a pretty small change in the grand scheme of things, it's still one of those things to keep on top of. If you have any other questions about DOT compliance, feel free to reach out to TT&S for help. 

Don't Block the Box: Stopping at an Intersection

 

It's construction season, and tempers can flare high when it takes longer to get where you need to go. We've reinforced that it's important to respect work zone employees (always give the green and orange some space!), slow down when there's a lot of work going on around you, and to refrain from distractions inside your vehicle.

Here's a phrase that might not be as familiar, even though every driver has almost certainly been affected by it: Don't Block the Box.

This is talking about when you have a green light but traffic is moving slower than molasses. It's our instinct to keep close behind the car in front of you, but in an intersection that could spell trouble if the lights start to change. If you don't have clearance to make it through an intersection, remember:

Don't block the box. Stay behind the intersection until you have clearance to make it through. 

Here's a video that goes over this in more detail. 

This is something to always keep in mind, but it can become more common when construction limits traffic down to one lane. Ignoring this rule impedes traffic moving the other way, and could spell real trouble if emergency vehicles need to make it through.

 

 

Summer Storms & Fourth of July Safety

North Dakota has had our fair share of scary storms already this year. Tornado sirens have been an eerie refrain for some communities. We always hope no one needs these reminders, but it bears repeating: 

 - A tornado WARNING is a level of severity higher than a tornado WATCH. Warning means there's been rotation spotted in your area. If there's a tornado watch, you should plan to be near shelter for the remainder of the watch period, altering plans if needed to stay near shelter. If there's a tornado warning, take shelter immediately. 

- Shelter means the lowest level of the building, preferably an inner room without windows if at all possible.

- Before storm season begins, it's not a terrible idea to go over your emergency plan with family members and make sure you have essentials stocked, including a few days' worth of water, food, and any needed medications. If you have an alternate energy source, such as a generator or portable power station, make sure it's functioning and any fuel needed is available.

Storm are out of our control and important to prepare for, but there are other more manmade hazards that early July brings -- fireworks season. Here are some tips to enjoy responsibly:

- Respect any fireworks bans, either due to fire restrictions or, if applicable, within city limits. Fire stations must make these determinations based on their available resources and other outside factors not always obvious to the general public. Make the responsible decision to respect their expertise.

-  Fireworks season is not the time to shirk on PPE. If you're the family pyrotechnic for the night, really consider safety glasses and gloves at the very least. If you're got FR clothes from work or can borrow some, you might really appreciate it if something goes wrong.

- Make sure to light fireworks a respectable distance away from buildings, trees, or other structures, and do not light up in tall grass.

 - Did you know sparklers can reach temperatures of 2000 degrees? They also account for almost a third of all injuries to children under five. Be careful and consider other fun alternatives for the little ones.

- Don't try to relight malfunctioning fireworks and do not hold lit fireworks (such as Roman candles). 

Hopefully with these tips everyone can enjoy a fun and safe Fourth of July! 

How to Host a Great Toolbox Talk

 
The toolbox talk. You'll find a lot of funny YouTube videos mocking the concept, but they are still a great opportunity to get a safety message across if done right. 

Toolbox talks are typically 5 - 10 minute safety talks. They supplement routine scheduled safety training. Many times they are not led by a safety manager, but by a frontline supervisor or operations staff to really drive home the point that management is on board with safety. It's a great opportunity to give a different perspective on safety to employees.

Let's talk about common toolbox talk pitfalls and how to make things more engaging.

 When to hold them?

There's certainly no hard-and-fast rule. In a field context, holding them before the morning shift begins can start the day off on the right foot. Based on the hazards, you can determine the frequency you want to hold them. Maybe once a week is a good start and gauge effectiveness from there. There is something to be said about creating a routine and sticking to it, once the best frequency is found.

What to talk about?

Pick the hazards that are most relevant to your employees. Consider separating employees into different groups based on their hazards, or inviting different groups together if the hazards discussed are more general. No need to hammer on the same topics either. Toolbox talks shouldn't be taking the place of more formal training throughout the year. They're a great opportunity for reminders about hazards and to make an impact on employees through a case study or personal story.

What about content?

A lot of the time, you might not have access to projector and classroom environment for a toolbox talk. That's OK! Having everyone out in the field in the spot where most of the hazards are anyway can spark its own kind of discussion.

If you've got a story from someone within the company and they're all right with you sharing (be sure to ask permission first!), that can be especially impactful. Otherwise, simple hands-on demonstrations are another great strategy. Doing a quick watermelon tool drop (example here) is a great visual to promote helmet use, for example. Think out of the box.

If you've got the kind of group that might go for this, consider having different employees lead toolbox talks. They can pick the topic themselves, which means they may pick something they have a lot of expertise about or have personal experience with. Supporting employees who do this by helping them find resources or stepping in to talk during a slower moment during the toolbox talk is usually appreciated as well.

Toolbox talks can have a great return on investment. They do not take much time to hold or effort to prepare, but they are in the employees' normal work environment and can serve as a great reminder in the moment about hazards they face every day. If you haven't incorporated toolbox talks into your safety program, consider taking the step. And be sure to ask TT&S for any help if needed. 

Air Quality Revisited

 

I'm sure we here in North Dakota have all noticed the deteriorating air quality over the past week. It's a great time to revisit the basics on air quality with our original post. Please remember to take steps to protect yourselves and other employees by keeping tabs on air quality and adhering to the recommendations provided by the AirNow.gov site.

This site is an incredible resource, with data pulled from various agencies, including NASA, CDC, THE NOAA, and the National Park Service. Take advantage of these resources and keep yourselves informed and safe!

Air Monitors 101

If your work involves entering confined spaces, you hopefully already know a thing or two about air monitors. Here's a great resource from EHS Today that goes over common troubleshooting procedures for air monitors. We recommend also taking the time to look through the owner's manual so you understand the basics of their operation. 

If your job has issued you an air monitor, that means it's absolutely essential to confirm it is operational and working properly before entering a confined space. If you're having issues with your air monitors, also feel free to contact TT&S for assistance. We're here to help!

Don't wait

It's a sad story, made worse by how often it happens.

A company doesn't have a safety system in place. They haven't done much to figure out what the risks are in their company and they don't have a robust training program. But they've been fine, probably for years. No one's been seriously injured or worse.

And then something does happen. There's a severe injury or fatality. Everyone scrambles to finally take this safety stuff seriously.

But it's too late.

We've been preaching on the value of creating a safety system in your company that is sustainable, can adapt to change, and that promotes transparency within all levels of your organization.

But maybe that message is too fast, too soon -- especially for newer businesses or smaller organizations. It can be tough to carve out the resources for safety when you're small or just beginning. And if you've been following our messaging, maybe it's too sudden a change and feels overwhelming.

Here's a word to the wise, though: Don't wait.

It might seem like the task is too big and you've got other issues that feel more immediate on your plate.

But don't wait.

If you haven't had a chance to sit down for risk assessment, lurking in your day-to-day operations are risks of all kinds -- some minor, but some probably much less so.

While you might go long periods of time without an incident -- years, even -- that doesn't mean you're necessarily doing things well or have captured your risk profile. It might just mean those risks have remained undiscovered or uncontrolled. And if they're major, it's only a statistical matter of time before something goes terribly wrong.

Consider these few simple, low-cost steps if you are at the very beginning stages of creating your safety program.

1.  Ask employees what the risks are. Ask them: What is the next incident going to be? They will probably know. Find ways for them to respond in a non-pressured way. Have a suggestion box. Or a great idea from another safety manager: have employees write down their prediction of the next incident on a post-it note and stick it on their supervisor's or HR manager's door. That takes the pressure off of talking during a meeting, or of having their name attached to a specific hazard.

2. If you don't get much response on this, (and you might not), don't give up! Take some baby steps to create engagement with employees. Find strategies to get to know them and build up that trust. Your frontline employees are your greatest resource on what the hazards are and where things can go terribly wrong.

3. Unless there's an immediate severe hazard, before you jump into a solution (new PPE, new policy, new anything), discuss with stakeholders, including frontline employees and their supervisor(s). Roll out solutions on a trial basis. Do field tests with a couple different solutions.

4. If a control you've put in place doesn't quite fit the bill as promised, don't give up. Consider creative solutions: Can you combine controls? Tweak your current set up? Have you considered refining your processes? So many times safety is conceptualized as the enemy of productivity, but time after time, we see that it can actually enhance productivity and streamline processes with a little creative problem solving.

Taking those first baby steps to a safety program does not require masters-level education on safety compliance. It doesn't mean you should stop there, either. But don't become paralyzed with options and information about safety regulations. Act now! Don't wait.

April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month

Remember that distracted driving is probably the most dangerous activity you can do on a daily basis. It only takes a split-second for something to go wrong, and for tragedy to strike.

"The National Safety Council analysis of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data finds that more than 3,000 people died in distraction-affected crashes in 2020; that is an average of nearly nine people dying in a distracted driving-related crash every single day on American roads."

Nine people losing their lives every due to a completely preventable behavior is unacceptable.

 Consider taking the Just Drive pledge from the National Safety Council here.