Page 82 - Occupational Health & Safety, June 2019

SAFETY MANAGEMENT
happened across the organization many times in the last month? Finding and fixing the issue is a start, but only by addressing the causal factors (why it is happening over and over) will it result in a sustained improvement.
How Metrics Can Be Used to Drive Improvement
Ideally, the goal is to develop actionable leading indicators. The ac- tion should not be to mandate or influence the metric itself, but to elicit constructive conversations, as well as to develop or establish value in the action represented by the metric itself. For example, inspections provide a wealth of leading indicator information from which organizations can derive insight into the differences between work as imagined or expected (e.g., what is defined in a safety and health program) and work as performed (e.g., what occurs in the field). Mandating inspections won’t provide more insight if the ob- servers don’t find value in the process. Additionally, it is hard to manage risk if it is unknown where the risk resides. At-risk findings can help clarify where the risk is, both real and perceived.
To be clear, simply picking from a list of indicators and measur- ing the results is a lesson in futility. Metrics and expectations are to be established to determine whether a process is in control or effective. The results will indicate where on the spectrum of success your organization lies. From there, action must be taken to adjust the trajectory of the process. The subsequent results then provide insight as to whether the actions proved effective and the trends are
tracking in a positive direction.
Conclusion
It is important to remember that it is not the adoption of leading indicators or the collection of leading indicators that leads to im- provement, it is the actions taken with the information that de- termine success. It is less about the metrics and more about the conversations and feedback they elicit. Bear in mind when adopt- ing any leading indicators to make sure they are actionable. When driving continuous improvement, it is the frequency and quality of the feedback generated from the findings that determine the level of success.
As a Process Improvement Leader for Predictive Solutions, Cary Us- rey is responsible for implementing best practices for customers seek- ing to prevent worker injuries. He coaches customers through an as- sessment, goal-setting, and goal measurement process that is designed to maximize safety improvement and widespread organizational en- gagement, from the field to leadership. He started his career in the U.S. Navy’s Nuclear Power Program and has since held many safety leadership positions, including Environmental, Health and Safety Compliance Director at Adirondack Resource Recovery Associates and Business Unit Safety Director at Turner Construction. He is a member of the Central FL chapter of the ASSE and has served on the Board of Directors for the VPPPA (Region II).
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