Leading vs. Lagging Indicators: Why They Matter and How to Promote Leading Indicator Tracking

By: Monik Hernández | Founder & Principal

In effective safety programs, measurement drives behavior. Two of the most important measurement tools are leading and lagging indicators, and understanding how to use them together is critical to preventing injuries and incidents.

Lagging indicators measure outcomes after an event has already occurred. Examples include recordable injuries, lost-time incidents, severity rates, and OSHA citations. While these metrics are important for benchmarking and regulatory reporting, they are inherently reactive. They explain what happened, but only after harm, damage, or loss has already taken place.

Leading indicators focus on activities, conditions, and behaviors that occur before an incident. These include near-miss reporting, safety observations, training participation, job hazard analyses, inspections, audits, and corrective action closure rates. Leading indicators provide insight into risk exposure and system effectiveness, making them powerful tools for prevention.

Leading indicators matter because they shift safety from a results-based model to a proactive risk management approach. They give organizations the ability to identify weak signals, address hazards early, and reinforce safe behaviors in real time. When tracked consistently, leading indicators help predict and prevent incidents rather than simply record them.

To promote the tracking of leading indicators, organizations must first create psychological safety. Employees need to know that reporting near misses or unsafe conditions will not lead to blame or discipline. Leadership should visibly support reporting by thanking employees, acting quickly on concerns, and closing the feedback loop.

Next, keep leading indicators simple and meaningful. Focus on a manageable set of metrics tied directly to risk, not paperwork volume. Make tracking part of daily operations—toolbox talks, pre-task planning, and supervisor check-ins, rather than an administrative burden.

Finally, share leading indicator data openly. Highlight trends, recognize participation, and connect improvements to real-world risk reduction. When people see that leading indicators drive action, not punishment, participation increases, and safety performance follows.