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 of 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 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 specific procedures for ensuring that accident investigations result in the identification and timely implementation of countermeasures and that the procedures are reviewed by management?

• Do Managers attend safety meetings?

• Are there Management representatives who are members of the safety committee?

• Do Managers regularly attend safety activities outside the company?