Measuring the Effectiveness of Safety Training

Employees in industrial workplaces face several hazards on the job every day, including:

• Slipping, tripping, and falling risks.
• Working at elevated heights.
• Exposure to chemicals.
• Injuries caused by machinery and equipment.
• Electrical hazards.

To that end, the benefits of safety training in the workplace are well-documented. But how do you actually determine whether your safety training program is working or if improvements are in order? This article breaks down some key metrics for safety professionals to track, covering both proactive and reactive criteria.

Why Is Measuring the Effectiveness of Safety Training Important?

Effective safety training metrics are critical, especially in high-risk industries like construction, oil and gas, manufacturing, and warehousing. They provide a comprehensive overview of your safety management program and reveal areas requiring special attention. Using various metrics to determine safety training effectiveness can yield the following benefits:

• Fewer accidents and injuries: You can use different performance metrics to establish how well your training program actually reduces on-site incidents, adjusting as needed. In turn, you can reduce these accidents and create a safer work environment for everyone.
• Cost savings: Your safety training program can pay off significantly in the long run. Workplace incidents can lead to OSHA citations, workers’ compensation claims, medical bills, lost productivity, and legal fees. Implementing more robust safety measures based on insightful metrics can minimize unwanted accidents, translating to long-term cost savings.
• Regulatory compliance: Regulatory bodies, such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), require employers to train workers on handling different health and safety hazards. When monitoring safety performance and outcomes, OSHA encourages organizations to define indicators for tracking their progress. Effective hazard management and performance monitoring help businesses comply with rigorous industry standards, avoid costly fines, and maintain a positive public image.
• Improved productivity and morale: When employees can identify and plan for potential risks, they fulfill their duties more safely, confidently, and efficiently. This translates to less accident-caused downtime and higher overall productivity. Morale also increases since team members feel more valued in an organization that puts employees’ safety first.

How to Measure the Effectiveness of Safety Training

Before determining relevant safety metrics for your operational goals, it’s important to understand the two main types of metrics:

• Leading indicators: Leading indicators are proactive, preventive measures that help you identify potential issues before they occur. They plan for possible outcomes and events so you can lessen the likelihood of accidents and injuries.
• Lagging indicators: Lagging indicators are more reactive than proactive. They measure outcomes from incidents that have already occurred, offering insight into how the situation was handled and revealing areas for improvement.

Incorporating a balance of leading and lagging indicators allows for a well-rounded incident response strategy. It offers a full picture of your organization’s safety training efficacy.

With that in mind, here are some of the top metrics to measure safety effectiveness.

Leading Indicators

Some practical leading indicators include the following.

1. Completed Safety Audits and Inspections

Organizations should periodically conduct safety audits to assess their compliance with protocols and regulations, identify workplace hazards, and determine the effectiveness of their safety programs. 

Tracking the number and quality of completed and submitted safety audits helps your company proactively spot and manage risks. A higher number of submitted audits demonstrates a vigorous approach to ongoing safety improvement. These audit records and safety reports are also critical documentation to have on file.

2. Average Time to Incident Resolution

The average time to incident resolution is another key safety metric, showing how quickly and effectively your organization responds to issues. The faster you resolve them, the more effectively you can prevent similar events in the future.

This metric tracks the time from when a safety issue is first identified to when it is rectified. Shorter resolution times indicate a more proactive safety response protocol. To calculate the average time to incident resolution, add up the total number of days needed for resolution within a set period. Divide this number by the number of incidents in that time frame.

3. Safety Perception Survey Scores

Gathering employee feedback is one of the most effective ways to assess your organization’s overall safety culture. Periodically distribute anonymous surveys across your team, collecting qualitative data to gauge their perceptions of safety in the workplace. 

This feedback can provide valuable insights into different aspects that may require attention, such as equipment maintenance, communication, and training programs. Questions should focus on the clarity of procedures, confidence in safety management, and overall satisfaction.

4. Employee Involvement

To cultivate a truly effective safety culture, actively solicit and integrate input from all levels of the organization into your safety initiatives. Line-level employees possess unique, firsthand insights into potential hazards. Organizations should establish robust mechanisms such as surveys, near-miss reporting protocols, and, critically, foster collaborative relationships with leadership to capture this valuable information.

Proactive and meaningful employee participation is paramount. Voluntary involvement in safety committees provides a platform for direct contribution to safety initiatives. Genuinely engaged participation during training events demonstrates a tangible commitment to safety principles. These behaviors are significant leading indicators of an organization’s progress toward a deeply embedded and independent safety culture, where ownership of safety is distributed across the workforce.

Lagging Indicators

Next, here are some examples of lagging indicators to assess the effectiveness of safety training.

1. Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR)

TRIR is the number of recordable jobsite incidents over a specified period, usually a year. This is an important metric to assess overall workplace safety, accounting for all incidents resulting in:

• Lost time or missed workdays
• Medical treatment beyond basic first aid
• Loss of consciousness
• Transfer to another job
• Fatality

Measuring TRIR gives you a broad overview of incidents on your worksite, evaluates the effectiveness of your current safety protocols, and helps you identify areas for improvement. To calculate TRIR, multiply the number of recordable workplace incidents by 200,000. Divide this number by the total number of hours worked by all employees.

2. Near-Miss Rate (NMR)

NMR factors in incidents that nearly caused damage or injury but were narrowly avoided. For instance, an employee slips on a puddle of water and falls but doesn’t get hurt. Encouraging your team to report near misses is critical, as it promotes a proactive safety culture and helps you pinpoint potential risks before they lead to accidents and injuries.

To calculate NMR, count the number of near misses over a certain period, such as a year. Record the total hours worked by all employees during that period. Divide the total number of near misses by the total number of hours worked, then multiply this number by 200,000.

3. Days Away, Restricted, or Transferred (DART)

DART measures the number of incidents resulting in work absences, job restrictions, or reassignments to other tasks. This safety metric highlights the repercussions and severity of workplace accidents and injuries. It also provides valuable insight into the effectiveness of your organization’s safety inspections and training.

You can calculate this metric by multiplying the number of DART-related incidents over a set period by 200,000. Then, divide this number by the total hours worked by all employees during that time.

4. Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate (LTIFR)

LTIFR measures the frequency of work absences due to work-related injuries. This is an essential safety metric for measuring the severity of injuries and how it affects productivity. You can use it to detect opportunities for improvement, like establishing more in-depth safety training or procedures.

To calculate LTIFR, multiply the number of lost-time injuries over a given period by 1 million. Divide this number by the total number of employee hours worked. 

Take the Next Steps in Your Safety Management Career

Effective safety training is non-negotiable for any industrial organization. That’s where an experienced safety manager makes all the difference.

If you’re interested in pursuing this path, the National Association of Safety Professionals (NASP) offers a Certified Safety Manager course. By enrolling in this comprehensive 40-hour class — either in person or online — you’ll gain the necessary skills and knowledge to demonstrate your proficiency in implementing and overseeing safety programs in business environments.

To get started, register for our Certified Safety Manager course today.