IOSH Measuring Performance 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the 'accident ratio' concept (Heinrich's ratio)?
- The ratio of male to female accident victims
- The theory that for every serious injury there are many minor injuries and even more near-misses and unsafe acts (Correct answer)
- The ratio of accidents to working days
- The ratio of reported to unreported accidents
Correct answer: The theory that for every serious injury there are many minor injuries and even more near-misses and unsafe acts
Heinrich proposed that for every major injury there are approximately 29 minor injuries and 300 near-misses/unsafe acts. While the exact numbers are debated, the principle is important: addressing the base of the triangle (near-misses and unsafe behaviours) reduces serious incidents.
Question 2: How should safety performance data be communicated to the workforce?
- It should be kept confidential to management only
- Regularly and accessibly through notice boards, team briefings, newsletters, dashboards and safety meetings (Correct answer)
- Only during the annual safety review
- Only when the HSE requests it
Correct answer: Regularly and accessibly through notice boards, team briefings, newsletters, dashboards and safety meetings
Safety performance data should be communicated regularly and in accessible formats. Workers should see how their area is performing, understand the significance of the data, and be encouraged to contribute to improvement. Transparency builds trust and engagement.
Question 3: What are the limitations of using accident statistics alone to measure safety performance?
- There are no limitations — accident statistics are a perfect measure
- They are reactive (measuring failure), can be affected by under-reporting, don't reflect near-misses, and low numbers don't confirm good safety management (Correct answer)
- The only limitation is that they take time to compile
- They are unreliable because workers exaggerate injuries
Correct answer: They are reactive (measuring failure), can be affected by under-reporting, don't reflect near-misses, and low numbers don't confirm good safety management
Limitations include: they are reactive (measuring harm that has already occurred), they can be affected by under-reporting, they don't capture near-misses, low numbers could indicate good safety or good luck, they don't measure proactive efforts, and small organisations may have too few incidents for statistical significance.
Question 4: What is the role of the 'competent person' in safety auditing?
- Anyone can conduct a safety audit without training
- The auditor must have the competence (training, knowledge, experience and independence) to conduct an objective and thorough evaluation (Correct answer)
- Competent persons are only needed for financial audits
- The competent person only signs off the audit report
Correct answer: The auditor must have the competence (training, knowledge, experience and independence) to conduct an objective and thorough evaluation
Safety auditors need appropriate competence including: knowledge of H&S management systems and legal requirements, audit methodology training, understanding of the workplace being audited, and sufficient independence to be objective. Internal auditors should not audit their own area.
Question 5: What is a 'severity rate' in safety measurement?
- A rating of how strict the safety rules are
- A measure of the seriousness of injuries, typically calculated as the number of days lost per a given number of hours worked (Correct answer)
- The speed at which injuries are treated
- A rating given by the HSE to each workplace
Correct answer: A measure of the seriousness of injuries, typically calculated as the number of days lost per a given number of hours worked
The severity rate measures the seriousness (not just frequency) of injuries by calculating the number of working days lost due to injury or illness per a standard number of hours worked (e.g., per 1,000,000 hours). A high severity rate means injuries are causing more time off work.
Question 6: Why is 'continuous improvement' important in health and safety management?
- Because the law requires annual improvement
- Because workplace conditions, knowledge and best practices evolve — standing still means falling behind on risk reduction (Correct answer)
- Because it looks good in company reports
- It is only important for ISO-certified organisations
Correct answer: Because workplace conditions, knowledge and best practices evolve — standing still means falling behind on risk reduction
Continuous improvement (the 'Act' in PDCA) ensures that safety management evolves with changing workplace conditions, new hazards, advancing knowledge, technological developments, and lessons learned. Without continuous improvement, the management system becomes outdated and less effective.
IOSH Measuring Performance 4
What is the 'accident ratio' concept (Heinrich's ratio)?