Troy Jeanes
Leading Indicators for Safety Leadership

Time and time again, top performing companies demonstrate that where there is a strong commitment to safety from leadership, companies are more likely to be able to transform their organizations. One of the hardest issues to improve though, is safety leadership - engaging the leadership and convincing them that their demonstration of leadership has a lasting impact on the safety performance of their workforce is not easy.
If you were to conduct a survey your company's HSE Management System, some leading indicators that will give you an idea of your problem areas would include:
Is there is a written safety policy?
Are there are written safety goals and objectives?
Are there written strategies and tactics (plans) for achieving safety objectives are in place?
Do Managers provide safety budgets, staffing, and facilities for meetings?
Are Managers participate in executing safety plans?
Do Managers monitor and periodically evaluates the safety program?
Do Managers and supervisors set an example of good safety practices, e.g., wearing personal protective equipment?
Are Managers and supervisors held accountable for safety performance, e.g., pay/promotions are partially dependent on safety?
Does Top Management receive and respond to safety committee recommendations?
Are Supervisors and managers personally conduct safety audits and inspections?
Are there are specific procedures for ensuring that accident investigations result in identification and timely implementation of countermeasures and the procedures are reviewed by management?
Do Managers attend safety meetings?
Are there Management representatives are members on the safety committee?
Do Managers regularly attend safety activities outside the company?