No single indicator is likely to measure all aspects of safety performance. A range of performance indicators, some negative, some positive, all measuring various aspects of safety in a representative and meaningful manner are required. Leading and trailing indicators are helpful if they are acted upon and used with the intention to improve existing safety strategies and to guide decision making processes. Qualitative information can provide insights that quantitative data is too crude, diverse or widespread to reveal. Outcome indicators are designed to help measure whether targeted actions are being effective. Whilst the difference in performance indicators as far as the timing and responses are concerned is well understood, there may be less appreciation given to the different angles from which these measures are taken – such as whether they are from management’s viewpoint; or from the view of operations or the individual worker. This paper critiques a number of the various indicators available, and encourages the use of multiple measures to circumvent pitfalls associated with particular aspects of some commonly encountered indicators.
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