New Study Highlights Leading Safety Indicators

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A recent study has confirmed the effectiveness of two innovative leading indicators—trust and proactiveness—in enhancing workplace safety culture and performance. These indicators can help organisations "diagnose and improve prevention culture in workplaces," according to researchers from South Korea's Occupational Safety and Health Agency.

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Key Findings

The study, involving 630 workers from 12 subcontractors at a large manufacturing plant, revealed that trust and proactiveness positively influence safety climate factors such as management value, leadership, communication, and regulation. These indicators also improve safety behaviours like compliance and participation.

The trust indicator, developed through a Korean-German collaboration, focuses on competence, justice, care, and cooperation. It includes statements such as: "Managers carry out safety work from an employee's perspective" and "Systems related to safety are fair." The proactive indicator, based on the International Social Security Association's Vision Zero campaign, measures broader safety, health, and wellbeing practices.

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Practical Applications

According to the researchers, these indicators can serve as extensions of existing safety culture metrics. They are particularly relevant for organisations aiming to foster a prevention culture—a comprehensive approach that integrates safety into daily practices and decision-making processes.

"Companies are questioning why accidents occur and recognising that decision-making climate and risk-taking behaviours are the main causes,"

the researchers noted. They emphasised the importance of prevention cultures over traditional safety cultures for addressing these root causes.

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Broader Implications

South Korea's high industrial fatality rate has driven a national safety roadmap and campaigns to internalise safety culture. This aligns with global trends prioritising leading indicators over lagging ones (e.g., injury rates) to proactively address workplace risks. For instance, leading indicators like training participation, hazard reporting, and employee engagement have been shown to significantly enhance workplace safety outcomes.

By adopting these proactive measures, Australian organisations can strengthen their WHS frameworks and foster safer workplaces.

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Source:

New Study Highlights Leading Safety Indicators - Tuesday 04, Mar 2025, NSCA Foundation