Acrisure Risk Resources shares 10 ways to lead with safety in your business and explains lagging and leading indicators in this month's newsletter.
Blog
June 12, 2025
No matter what industry you are in, one truth remains: safety doesn’t happen by chance. It starts with leadership.
At Acrisure Risk Resources, we’ve identified 10 guiding principles that define what it means to lead with safety at the center. By doing this, you can effectively help manage risk and prevent loss.
10 Keys to Leading People Safely
1. Safety isn’t a priority—it’s a core value.
Priorities shift. Values hold firm. Nothing can compete for safety.
2. Leadership drives culture.
Safety doesn’t “bubble up.” It starts at the top. The environment that leaders create can impact how employees will behave.
3. There is no finish line.
Safety is a journey, not a destination. Even if you are doing well, safety requires constant vigilance.
4. Blame doesn't solve problems.
Hold systems accountable, not just individuals. Allow for the fact that people make mistakes and develop your response accordingly.
5. Go beyond compliance.
Regulations often only prescribe the minimum. True safety requires more.
6. Yesterday’s success doesn’t guarantee tomorrow’s outcomes.
Commit to continuous improvement. This includes ensuring your employees participate in on-going training. Learning and improving are vital.
7. Safety requires unconditional respect for process.
Make your processes clear, useful, and followed. Ensure all employees are properly trained.
8. Know when “minor” incidents are not so “minor.”
If you experience an injury or crash with no significant outcomes, ask yourself: “Did this incident have the potential to be severe?” If so, treat it as if the outcome was severe. This way you can develop a plan to help prevent future occurrences.
9. Engagement is your secret ingredient.
Engaged employees are more likely to own their roles in your organization – and that includes a healthy respect for safety. To engage employees, go beyond the numbers. Create an emotional connection reminding everyone about the importance of coming home safely every night.
10. Your company is talking to you every day.
Review your leading and lagging indicators to identify risk and opportunity for improvement.
Know Your Lagging and Leading Indicators
Safety data falls into two categories: lagging indicators and leading indicators. Understanding the difference—and prioritizing the right metrics—can be the difference between reacting to incidents and preventing them. Risk Intelligence leverages both lagging and leading indicators to provide a comprehensive view of your risk landscape.
Lagging Indicators: Measuring Yesterday’s Incidents
Lagging indicators track what has already happened. They provide a snapshot of past performance, helping you understand the impact of safety incidents. While important, lagging indicators only allow you to react to problems after they occur. They show trends that you can improve upon. Risk Intelligence uses lagging indicators to identify these trends and strategies for improvement.
Common lagging indicators include:
- Loss Runs: A record of past claims, injuries, and costs.
- Experience Modifier (MOD) Rating: An experience modifier is a measure of your workers’ compensation claims history compared to industry averages.
- OSHA Recordable Incident Rate: The number of workplace injuries per 100 employees.
- FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) BASICs: The seven categories used to evaluate a motor carrier’s safety performance based on past violations, crashes, and inspection results to identify and address high-risk behaviors.
- Profit and Loss Statements: Overall financial performance which can include impacts of safety performance, insurance cost, and productivity.
Lagging indicators cannot prevent what has already happened. But they can allow you spot trends to help prevent them from occurring again. Risk Intelligence helps you learn from past incidents and prevent them from recurring.
Leading Indicators: Predicting Tomorrow’s Risks
Leading indicators are predictive. They track behaviors and conditions that signal an increased risk of incidents before they occur. Companies that focus on leading indicators are proactive, reducing risks before they turn into injuries or fatalities. Risk Intelligence identifies leading indicators to proactively mitigate risks and help prevent incidents.
Key leading indicators may include:
- Near-Miss Reporting: Tracking and analyzing near-misses provides critical insights into potential hazards before they result in injuries.
- Safety Audits and Walk-Arounds: Regular workplace inspections help identify risks before they cause harm.
- Safety Observations: Encouraging employees to report unsafe behaviors or conditions helps create a culture of prevention.
- Safety Committee Activity: Strong engagement in safety committees can identify areas for improvement.
- Corrective Action Completion Rates: If a safety failure occurs, a proactive corrective action program can positively impact future safety performance. Look at individual and systemic contributing factors.
- Technology: Telematics, cameras, and in-plant technology can provide real-time data to spot risky behaviors early, helping companies proactively improve safety and prevent accidents.
- Training: A structured employee training program can equip employees with the tools and know-how to safely perform their jobs.
Leading indicators are powerful because they allow you to act before an incident occurs.
Your Data Is Your Story
Lagging indicators tell you where you’ve been. Leading indicators tell you where you’re going.
So, what story is your safety data telling? And more importantly—how is that data impacting your decisions?
Ready to learn more?
The Acrisure Risk Intelligence Process
Let an Acrisure Risk Advisor guide you in capturing, interpreting, and communicating your organization’s data—while helping you identify and act on key leading indicators to stay ahead of risk. Contact us to learn about our Risk Intelligence process that will help you navigate challenges and optimize performance. Our approach of combining data-driven analysis with contextual understanding allows us to offer valuable, focused risk management recommendations for you.
Contact us today to learn how Acrisure can help your company improve safety or learn more about our business solutions now.
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