Which practice is an example of a proactive safety leading indicator?

Which practice is an example of a proactive safety leading indicator?

• A. Tracking the number of near-miss reports submitted in a month.
• B. Injury rate.
• C. Days since last incident.
• D. Lost-time injury frequency rate.

Answer: (A)

Leading indicators in safety are measurements that signal how safe the system is and allow action before harm occurs. Tracking the number of near-miss reports submitted in a month fits this well because it captures events where no injury happened but conditions were risky. By counting near-misses, you surface hazards and take corrective actions early, strengthen reporting culture, and verify that preventive controls are working. This provides a forward-looking view of safety performance. Injury rate, days since last incident, and lost-time injury frequency rate focus on what has already happened, making them lagging indicators. They tell you about past outcomes rather than giving you a prompt to prevent future ones. Near-miss reporting, by contrast, helps avert incidents by addressing risks before they lead to harm.

Leading indicators in safety are measurements that signal how safe the system is and allow action before harm occurs. Tracking the number of near-miss reports submitted in a month fits this well because it captures events where no injury happened but conditions were risky. By counting near-misses, you surface hazards and take corrective actions early, strengthen reporting culture, and verify that preventive controls are working. This provides a forward-looking view of safety performance.

Injury rate, days since last incident, and lost-time injury frequency rate focus on what has already happened, making them lagging indicators. They tell you about past outcomes rather than giving you a prompt to prevent future ones. Near-miss reporting, by contrast, helps avert incidents by addressing risks before they lead to harm.