Leading indicators of construction safety performance

The concept of using leading indicators of safety performance is introduced with a clear contrast given with lagging indicators. Leading indicators of safety performance are measures of the safety process as it applies to construction work, while lagging indicators pertain to the safety results, namely the extent of the occurrence of worker injuries. Leading indicators consist of both passive as well as active measures. Passive measures are those which can be predictive over an extended period of time while active measures are those which can initiate corrective steps in a short period of time. Suggestions are offered on the selection and use of effective leading indicators. The results of a simple research study demonstrate the extent to which leading indicators can be utilized to distinguish the differences in project safety performances.

► A general description is provided of leading indicators of construction safety performance.
► A contrast is provided of how leading indicators differ from lagging indicators.
► Actual data are presented to demonstrate the viability of using leading indicators of safety performance.