Driving to Zero with Safety Leading Indicators (Best Practice)

Ten potential passive safety leading indicators were demonstrated to have a strong statistical impact on TRIR. Furthermore, the research showed that the greater the percentage of these ten indicators that was implemented, the lower the projects TRIR—with nearly a 7-fold reduction in TRIR between those projects implementing 4 or fewer versus those implementing at least 9.

Based on Research Team member experience and as corroborated by RT-284 case study and “award winning” project description information, RT-284 documented 14 most promising and best validated active leading indicators from all of those identified. Two examples of such active leading indicators are “Owner Performs Safety Walkthroughs” and “Near Miss Reporting.” (RR284-11 Appendix C, p. 58).

Each active leading indicator presented includes the following information:

• Description of the indicator
• Measurement, method, and frequency
• Threshold value below which action or intervention is warranted
• Resources required to implement the active indicator
• Action plan to implement the indicator

RT-284 developed a 9-step process for successful implementation of an active safety leading indicator program. It shares many similarities to the process described in Research Team 216 for the implementation of target safety programs. (IR284-2, p. 3)

Additional observations from the RT-284 team from this research include (RT-284 Annual Conference Presentation, Implementation Session, Slide 45):

• Very few leading indicators are fully implemented by general industry (case study average TRIR was approx. 2.0).
• Projects where leading indicators were measured and fully implemented had an average TRIR of 0.19.
• Every firm can benefit from active safety leading indicators.
• A strong foundation of safety is a prerequisite to a successful leading indicator program.
• A champion must be identified and committed to success.
• The next step in research into active safety indicators is to carefully select a few of them, implement them on a project, and measure the results.