Measuring Performance Flashcards
6 cards from real IOSH practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Measuring Performance flashcards as text
How should safety performance be reported to senior management?
Answer: Regularly, using clear dashboards showing trends in leading and lagging indicators, benchmarking data, and progress against objectives
Safety performance should be reported to senior management regularly (e.g., monthly or quarterly) using clear, visual formats such as dashboards showing trends, comparisons, and progress against objectives. The board should receive regular updates to enable informed decision-making.
What is the role of 'peer review' in safety auditing?
Answer: Having auditors from another site, department or organisation review safety management systems to bring fresh perspectives
Peer review involves having auditors from another site, department, or organisation audit the safety management system. This brings fresh perspectives, reduces bias, enables best practice sharing, and provides an independent view that internal auditors may lack.
What is 'accident costing' and why is it useful?
Answer: A systematic method for calculating all direct and indirect costs of workplace accidents to demonstrate the business case for safety investment
Accident costing calculates all costs associated with workplace accidents — direct (compensation, medical, repair, fines) and indirect (lost production, management time, recruitment, overtime, reputational damage, increased insurance). It makes the financial case for safety investment tangible.
What is the purpose of 'gap analysis' in safety management?
Answer: Comparing the current state of safety management against a desired standard to identify areas needing improvement
Gap analysis compares the current state of the safety management system against a desired standard (e.g., ISO 45001, HSG65, legal requirements, best practice). The identified gaps form the basis for an improvement plan, with actions prioritised by risk and impact.
How should the effectiveness of safety training be measured?
Answer: Through a combination of knowledge assessments, behavioural observation, performance metrics, and feedback from participants and supervisors
Effective training evaluation uses Kirkpatrick's four levels: Reaction (participant feedback), Learning (knowledge assessment), Behaviour (whether workers apply what they learned), and Results (impact on safety performance indicators). Attendance alone says nothing about effectiveness.
What is the significance of 'near-miss to accident ratio' as a performance indicator?
Answer: A high ratio of near-miss reports to accidents suggests good reporting culture and opportunities for proactive intervention before harm occurs
A high near-miss to accident ratio indicates a mature reporting culture where workers report events before they cause harm. This provides rich data for proactive risk reduction. A low ratio suggests under-reporting, meaning the organisation is missing opportunities to learn and prevent.