Safety performance measurement

Safety performance measures provide data indicating the status of safety activities (Training Resources and Data Exchange (TRADE) 1995,1-36). Comparisons between performance measures and benchmarks or organizational goals allow the safety manager to make decisions and take appropriate action. The key difference between performance measures and safety metrics is that performance measures evaluate the safety process, and safety metrics are the standards of measurement (such as accident rates). A series of safety metrics makes up a safety performance measure. 

One of the main advantages of using performance measures is that they enable companies to express the results of a safety process in quantitative, not qualitative, terms that can then be analyzed to determine efficiency of safety and health processes (Leandri 2001,39). These measurements permit identification and prioritization. They also identify the most rewarding efforts and allow prioritization of company-wide issues. 

A framework assists in the development of a safety performance measurement program by establishing well-defined performance measures, identifying all areas of safety performance, and documenting procedures for implementing the program. 

A suggested methodology for implementing performance measures can be established following the development of three tiers consisting of 1) Mission and Vision, 

2) Safety Objectives, and 3) Performance Measures (United States Department of Energy, Hanford Site 2001). 

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Steen van J., 1996. Safety Performance Measurement, European Process Safety Council, Bookcraft Ltd, Somerset. 

Each chemical company that implements Responsible Care is expected to collect and report data for a core set of environmental, health and safety performance measures. Each national association is expected to collect, collate and report this data from its members in each country. The data will also be collated and reported publicly at the international level and be updated every two years at a minimum. 

Meaningful safety performance measures with critical analysis... 

Ahmad, K. and Gibb, A. (2004) Towards effective safety performance measurement evaluation of existing techniques and proposals for the future. In S. Rowlinson (ed.). Construction Safety Management Systems, pp. 424-42. Spon Press, London. 

The term indicator may be used in several ways, which means that there exist many definitions (see 0ien et al. [2011a] for more thorough discussion). Also, terms which may have different meanings, such as safety performance measures or safety outcome measures and safety indicators or risk indicators , are sometimes used interchangeably. 

This chapter responds to a renewed interest in having measurement systems that are universally applicable, effectively assess occupational safety performance, and communicate well in terms that managements understand. Several safety measurement systems are discussed. A relatively new emphasis in safety performance measurement—leading indicators—is discussed. 

One of the principal indicators of management commitment to safety is the inclusion of safety performance in the performance review system. Management commitment to safety is questionable if the accountability system does not include safety performance measures that impact financially and on the promotion potential of those responsible for results. 

Management commitment is questionable if the accountability system does not include safety performance measures that impact on the well-being of those responsible for results. 

In the second edition of this book, I wrote that a renewed interest had developed in having measurement systems that effectively assess occupational safety performance, measurements that are universally applicable. Preferably, those measures would not only be historical but also predictive and serve as a base from which to prioritize future safety efforts. A significant goal was to have those measures communicate well in terms that managements understand. This renewed interest in performance measures arose out of the increased desire of some environmental, safety, and health professionals to move the profession forward by being able to establish more definitively the value of their work in relation to organizational goals. 

Only one other book, besides the Tarrants text, was located that treats safety performance measurement in any depth. There is a chapter titled Measurement Tools for Management in Loss Control Management by Bird and Loftus. Several texts were found that give the measurement of safety performance cursory treatment. 

No single safety performance measurement system has been designed that meets all of the preceding requirements. It may not be possible to do so, and that should be understood by those who fashion safety performance measurement systems. Nevertheless, the measurement systems used should be tested against these characteristics to determine their reliability. 

Having sound safety performance measurement systems has become more important thus the new chapter Measurement of Safety Performance. ... 

SSDC 33 The MORT Program and the Safety Performance Measurement System... 

Each of the safety performance measurement methods can be characterised as a combination of the following three facets (a) data source (b) identification procedrrre and (c) data category. Typical data sources for safety performance in healthcare are patient case records, incident reports, field data (for example, obtained by observation), and self-reported data (typically elicited by the use of a questiormaire or interview). 

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