NCIG has taken a significant step in enhancing safety performance with the introduction of the Safety Culture Score (SCS), a pioneering tool developed to address the limitations of traditional lag indicators. Given NCIG’s low injury record, measuring safety performance effectively was challenging. The SCS was created to integrate lead safety indicators across four critical dimensions: Environment, Practices, People, and Leadership.
The introduction of the SCS has already shown substantial benefits. Over the FY21-23 period, NCIG saw a 10% increase in the SCS, correlating with a 34% reduction in total incidents and a 50% decrease in recorded injuries. This new system has been integrated into monthly reporting, fostering transparency and accountability within the organisation. It not only underscores NCIG’s commitment to safety but also facilitates informed decision-making and strategic alignment.
Why use lead indicators?
Traditional safety performance indicators often rely on lag indicators, such as Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate (LTIFR) and Total Recordable Injury Frequency Rate (TRIFR), which can be inadequate for operations with low injury metrics. NCIG’s leadership recognised the need for lead safety indicators to anticipate and prevent incidents rather than just reacting to them. This proactive approach aims to cultivate a safety culture centred on continuous improvement and risk mitigation.
The SCS is informed by Sentis’ Safety Culture Model, which outlines four fundamental dimensions of safety culture: Environment (the physical setting), Practices (policies and procedures), People (individual contributions), and Leadership (management support and modelling behaviours). By integrating these dimensions into a composite measure, the SCS provides a comprehensive assessment of safety culture performance.
How did we engage the business in the development process?
Stakeholders across various teams at NCIG contributed to developing the SCS, ensuring it aligns with the organisation’s culture and goals. This collaborative approach has fostered broad engagement and ownership of the safety outcomes. The SCS empowers employees to take control of safety performance, encouraging proactive reporting and risk identification.
The success of the SCS at NCIG highlights its potential for applicability beyond the mining industry. The framework offers a standardised approach that can be adopted by various organisations seeking to enhance their safety performance. By leveraging theory-backed metrics and industry best practices, NCIG has set a precedent for global safety performance reporting.
NCIG’s innovative and award-winning Safety Culture Score exemplifies a proactive approach to safety management, reinforcing the importance of an empowered and engaged workforce in achieving safety excellence. NCIG is eager to share this tool with other organisations, contributing to safer workplaces worldwide.