Lagging indicators — injury rates, lost-time cases, workers' compensation costs — are essential, but they arrive after the harm. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes injury and illness data that let organizations benchmark outcomes. Leading indicators help you change those outcomes.
OSHA's guide to using leading indicators describes them as proactive, preventive and predictive measures. The test of a good leading indicator is simple: when it moves, does someone know what to do?
Five indicators worth tracking
1. Corrective action closure time by severity
How long do high-severity findings stay open? Rising closure times signal resource constraints or ownership problems before they show up as incidents.
2. Overdue actions by location
Concentrations of overdue work identify the sites that need leadership support.
3. Near-miss reporting rate
Higher reporting usually reflects trust, not more danger. A sudden drop deserves attention.
4. Inspection completion against schedule
Planned inspections not completed are hazards not looked for.
5. Training and qualification currency
The percentage of people in safety-critical roles who are fully current is a direct measure of readiness.
Make indicators actionable
- Every indicator has an owner and a review cadence.
- Every number can be traced to the records behind it.
- Indicators are compared across locations on the same definitions.
If an indicator never changes a decision, stop reporting it.
