Standard loss-based SHE performance indicators

The S-rate (severity rate) is less sensitive to reporting inaccuracies than the LTI-rate. One single accident resulting in a long period of sick leave may, however, dominate the statistics. It follows that the S-rate may vary considerable from period to period, especially in small companies. Another problem with the S-rate has to do with the fact that the sick leave for an injury may extend into the following periods. The true S-rate is thus not available until all injuries from a period have been closed. Due to the low frequency of fatalities, FAR (fatal accident rate) is rarely useful as a SHE performance indicator other than for very large companies in hazardous branches of industry. 

The types of performance indicators based on enviromnental and material losses vary from company to company dependent on type of production. Table 17.1 shows typical examples. 

Occupational accidents Lost-time injury frequency rate (LTI-rate) 

Average number of days lost Fatal Accident Rate (FAR) 

Number of lost-time injuries per 10 employee-hours. For definition of lost-time injury, see Table 6.3. 

---

Table 17.1 gives an overview of standard loss-based SHE performance indicators. In calcnlating the frequency of accidents, the size of the activity for which performance is assessed has to be considered. We must expect more accidents to occur in a large company than in a small one, even if the activities are similar. It is necessary to standardise the indicators in relation to the exposure to the risk of accidents. For occupational accidents, the most common exposure measure is the number of employee-hours. In traffic safety, for example, we use the number of vehicle kilometres or passenger kilometres as measures of exposure. By combining the frequency measures with the consequence measures, a measure of the risk is arrived at. 

---