SERIOUS INJURIES & FATALITIES
The Heart of Safety Improvements Strategy
About ten years ago, we received a call from the corporate safety director of a global organization who was concerned about a disturbing pattern in their data: Recordable injuries were declining steadily, but serious and fatal injuries were level. They asked us to research potential causes for this difference and develop a new paradigm for understanding serious injuries and fatalities (SIFs). The analysis changed our thinking about how we approach serious injuries and fatalities. Most importantly, we began to see that safety leadership should begin with attention to SIFs.
ARTICLES On SERIOUS INJURIES & FATALITIES
Serious Injuries and Fatalities – The Fundamental Problem
In this video, Dr. Tom Krause discusses the disturbing trend first discovered around 2010. While most companies had seen recordable injuries decline, serious and fatal injuries remained level. Further, strategies that reduced smaller injuries did not have the same impact on serious injuries. We must continue to rethink how we approach safety improvement in general, and the prevention of serious injuries and fatalities in particular.
Serious Injuries and Fatalities – The New Paradigm
In this video, Tom Krause continues to discuss the difference between the old safety paradigm and the new, and what should be done to decrease serious injuries and fatalities.
Does Focusing on SIFs Mean Ignoring Smaller Injuries?
In our book “7 Insights into Safety Leadership,” Tom Krause and I make the point that leaders should start with a focus on preventing serious injuries and fatalities (SIFs). What does it mean to focus on SIFs? What doesn’t it mean? Why is a SIF focus better? First, A Clarification Focusing on SIFs does not mean that smaller injuries are unimportant….
The 7 Crucial Things all Leaders Need to Know About Safety
In our work at Krause Bell Group, we’ve found that the most important ingredient in any safety program is strong leadership. But all too often, senior leaders don’t “get” safety at the level they need to in order to be effective. So what is it that senior leaders need to ‘Get’ about safety? What is…
Serious Injury and Fatality Prevention – 15 Years Later
Our first study on serious injury and fatality prevention revealed that these types of incidents had very different precursors compared to other types of injuries. Now, taking this understanding to the next level, our continued research has shown the need to look at where organizations sit on the SIF Maturity Curve.
How to Change Organizational Culture and Avoid Catastrophes
Catastrophes are a risk in organizational life. From a quality issue that causes consumer fatalities and brings reputational damage to a hostile working environment leading to harassment or to employees becoming seriously or fatally injured. These things are usually a surprise to the senior-most leaders. “I knew we had some issues at that facility, but…
