Posted By HarveyJ Good morning to all, We are a manufacturing outfit, making pumps and pump components. approx 200 employees. We are looking to reinvigorate our QDIPS in our manufacturing areas to continue to beat targets for all areas of operational performance, (Quality, Delivery, Inventory, Productivity & Safety). I have been asked to consult with our Team Leaders to develop and implement a refreshed set of metrics around the Safety part. Historically we have only had lagging indicators displayed, i.e. numbers of days since a reportable lost time accident. I want to implement valid measurements of safety performance so when my management team walk the floor each day, they really feel as though they have a sence of where we are at with regard to safety and/or have their finger on the pulse. I feel at present management just hope that safety is being managed by the Safety Manager and/or front line supervisors. Has anyone got any experience with leading indicators of safety performance that they could share. Ideally I am looking for inspiration. I want to make each manufacturing cell specific as we have light assembly through to CNC/Conventional machining processes. In assembly it may be more prudent to measure number of behavioural safety observations completed by operatives looking at ergonomics which is a primary hazard. This would not apply to a machining area or perhaps not be as significant any help or advice would be greatly received. Thanks John

Posted By Kieran J Duignan John The essence of your enquiry is expressed in your statements: 'I want to implement valid measurements of safety performance so when my management team walk the floor each day, they really feel as though they have a sence of where we are at with regard to safety and/or have their finger on the pulse.... I want to make each manufacturing cell specific as we have light assembly through to CNC/Conventional machining processes. In assembly it may be more prudent to measure number of behavioural safety observations completed by operatives looking at ergonomics which is a primary hazard.' To achieve your stated goal, you need to start by specifying in detail the behaviour you want to measure, then choose the methods of measurement and the degree of reliability (known formally as 'statistical significance'). This may be done in a variety of ways, using tools of observation, feedback and dialogue. For that, you'll need to ensure that people at all level - management, team leaders and operatives - have a working knowledge of the inferential statistics associated with sampling behaviour so that they don't get confused and frustrated. For a workforce of 200, you need to think in terms of investing in a total of least 30 days' time of a safety professional well versed in the statistics and applied psychology of behavioural safety, to get the project through the design and development phases. The trouble with most of the published safety literature is that they don't clearly explain the statistical processes which are crucial to achieving the reasonable level of precision required to win management respect. (In searching for a title on such stats applied to safety to add to a large library on statistics, I've had to import one published over 20 years ago by a safety ergonomist in the USA). Achieving this goal is no small task but it will have the advantage of washing out such basic misconceptions as your odd reference to 'ergonomics' as 'a primaryh hazard'; as ergonomics is a science, it is neither hazardous nor safe in itself.