There are countless ways to improve safety in the workplace, but how does one measure or quantify safety? Fortunately, there are ways to do so. There are some key metrics that measure workplace safety to implement in your business or industry.
Incidents at the Workplace
Most organizations must track their incident rate as part of their overall environment, health, and safety report. The Total Case Incident Rate measures your company’s safety performance against competitors. It’s one of the most crucial metrics used to evaluate worker safety in any industry. Basically, take the number of OSHA-related injuries at your company and multiply it by the number of hours that 100 employees would work per week in a given calendar year. Dive this number by the total number of hours your employees worked to see the TCIR.
Experience Modification Rate (EMR)
The experience modification rate is also important. This metric measures the adjustment between worker’s compensation and insurance premiums based on the actual losses divided by the expected losses at the company. With a base value of one, anything greater indicates poor performance, whereas anything less indicates exceeding performance. There are many ways to improve your EMR rating, whether that’s through accountability with employees, a better work safety plan, or safer work culture.
Training and Participation
Training is a simple key metric that measures safety in the workplace. Pay attention to training attendance and pass rates. It may seem hard to determine whether your employees demonstrate the skills they’re taught. Keep track of company training lessons and their pass-fail rate to see who needs improvement. Even if there is no pass-fail system, you’ll still see who needs further training and who doesn’t. Your employees must also take proactive steps to participate and promote a safer work culture. Safety talks and training courses are a great way to inform everyone.
Inspections
Internal audits and OSHA inspections are fundamental to a safe work environment. As you navigate these circumstances, keep in mind the risks and issues of OSHA violations. Shift your focus toward hazard assessments and complete inspections without violations. There’s no predictability of passing future investigations unless you take proactive measures to do so.
