In order to prevent serious incidents and deaths, we have to measure what is really important. Conventional security metrics such as the total label of the records focus on frequency and not at severity. SIFs are not driven by frequent injuries with low people. They are driven by uncontrolled energy, weak protective measures and high activities or conditions.
Today's workforce consists of an increasing number of contractors, subcontractors and temporary workers, for which these traditional metrics are used outside their original intent. This has created a business system in which large assumptions in screening in “safe” contractors are made on the basis of a faulty metric or in the screening of better contractors due to a lack of context.
A low injury rate may look good on paper, but it can give a wrong feeling of security. In order to reduce SIFS, we need key figures that we can use to understand our ability to manage SIF risks. before Someone is seriously injured.
The risk of traditional injury rates
Many of the worst industrial incidents in history occurred during operations and focused primarily on reducing Osha recordings. The administration of Osha tariffs is not the same as the management of SIF risks. There are often close calls and weak signals for the serious incidents that remain unnoticed if we only pursue minor injuries.
One of the Rand Corp. The study carried out showed that states with low non -fatal injury rates often had high death rates. And vice versa. Why? Because better reporting on a better injury often reflects stronger cultures and more learning opportunities.
Leading vs. delayed indicators
Delay indicators tell us what has already happened: injuries, diseases, fires, spills or deaths. They are important for learning, but too late for prevention.
Guiding indicators focus on systems, protective measures and behaviors that reduce the risk at all. High quality language indicators for SIF prevention can include:
- The review of critical protective measures is installed and effective for all activities and conditions with high hazards.
- Closing metrics for correction measures and risk reduction, which are bound with high activities, conditions and events.
- Robust processes for reporting and learning from SIF risks, potential SIFs and actual SIFs.
- Engagement cities for leadership qualities and employee participation in the serious risk reduction and control check.
The best leading indicators not only measure activity, but also assess whether the risk is effectively checked.
New standards for more intelligent metrics
To support more intelligent measurements, the ASTM standard (ASTM E2920) for serious incidents is updated and expanded to help companies concentrate on SIF prevention:
ASTM SIF -Classification standards: These standards are intended to classify and define actual and potential SIFs-in one thing serious injuries, diseases, fires, environmental publications and other incidents with a high effect.
Emphasis on the learning of PSIFS, SIF risks and higher incidents with higher severity: Two of the ASTM standards emphasize the importance of the examination and learn from PSIFS and SIF risks -even if no damage has occurred -to ensure that critical protective measures are present, effective and verified.
Global benchmarking: These standards support consistent persecution of serious incidents and enable meaningful comparisons in industries, countries and times.
Move the focus
Organizations that lead in SIF prevention not only pursue the frequency of injuries. They manage with high activities and conditions by building up resistance in protective measures and controls. They are:
- Concentrated on the right risks not to count on the easiest
- Learning from PSIFS, SIF risks and serious incidents
- Install, maintenance and check critical protective measures
- Include all conversations about serious risks
If we shift our focus on the structure of the resistance of protective measures for control of what can cause the greatest damage, we move from the security regulations for security.
What is in front of us?
In the next column, we will examine how you can identify activities with high risk and reduce SIF risks by ensuring that there are critical protective measures. Better metrics are only important if they lead to better decisions, which leads to reliable protective measures and control persons and achieves secure results for employees.