What do leading indicators in safety assessments typically represent?

Leading indicators in safety assessments are proactive metrics that help organizations gauge their safety performance and predict future incidents before they occur. They typically focus on activities and behaviors that can be modified to improve safety outcomes. In this context, leading indicators such as unsafe acts and close calls provide essential insights into potential hazards and areas where safety processes can be enhanced. By identifying and addressing these issues, organizations can implement changes that reduce the likelihood of accidents or injuries.

In contrast, injury statistics and accident reports serve as lagging indicators, which reflect past performance and the outcomes of safety practices rather than potential areas for improvement. Regulatory compliance measures, while important for ensuring adherence to safety standards, do not directly indicate the effectiveness of safety practices in preventing incidents. Lastly, financial costs of accidents, although significant for assessing the impact of safety failures, are also retrospective and do not assist in predicting or preventing future safety issues. Therefore, focusing on unsafe acts and close calls enables organizations to take a more proactive and preventative approach to safety management.