Using leading indicators to measure occupational health and safety performance

•We present uses of leading indicators to measure OHS performance in organizations.•We describe qualities of effective leading metrics as determined by an expert panel.•Leadership commitment to safety is a key enabler of leading metric implementation.•Strategies using leading metrics gain attention from OHS professionals and employers.

A study was conducted to advance the state of knowledge and practice on the topic of using leading indicators to measure occupational health and safety (OHS) performance of organizations. The specific research aims were to (1) describe the extent to which OHS practitioners understand leading indicators; (2) explore organizational practices pertaining to tracking, analyzing, and applying information provided by leading indicators to improve OHS performance; and (3) identify barriers and factors that enable the use of leading indicators. The study design included an expert panel and a quantitative survey to explore the views and experiences of OHS practitioners in relation to leading indicators. The findings suggest several important characteristics (e.g., actionability) that effective leading indicators need to possess and describe modifiable factors (e.g., commitment and technical knowledge of senior executives) that may be correlated with such characteristics. Overall, this study argues for continued effort to improve access to research and practical knowledge among OHS professionals as well as their executive leaders who seek to demonstrate continuous improvement of performance measurement strategies.