An obervation of hazards is not an incident, but still can be used as leading indicator, although I also would like to use a positive observation approach, recognizing the positive actions taken to enhance safety
what are other members opinions?
The observation of a hazard is an observation of an unsafe condition. This is a leading indicator in that you should consider the probability, severity and type of accident that could take place as a result of the observation of the hazard. While the use of a positive observation is an excellent idea, it does not provide information concerning the probability, severity and type of accident that could occur as a result of the positive action observed
Yes. I would say to look hazard reporting as a leading indicator of the EHS system itself. Much like a near miss, it's probably what you do with the information that says how successful you will be in measuring this as a leading indicator. For example, if you are simply measuring the number reported each month based on how employees report, the rate will improve or not; but could be influenced by simple things occurring such as holidays, management pressure, perceptions, etc. In essence, it's taking the hazard out of the system that needs to happen. I would encourage you to look further within this metric and build out a short set of other metrics to gain better understanding and ensure you gain control. Here's several to consider:
Number of near miss reports
Number of unsafe observations (conditions or behaviors)
Number of safe observations (conditions or behaviors)
Number of unsafe observations per inspection
Number and percent of previously unknown hazards discovered
Inspection count (collection of observations)
Ratio of safe to unsafe observations
Weighted percent safe observations (using risk matrix)
Number of people trained in hazard identification
There's much that can be done in this part of the management system, but yes start with reporting and move toward more understanding.
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