A lagging indicator is a measure of a safety outcome or event that has already occurred, such as an injury count or incident rate. In occupational safety, examples include injury counts, fatalities, lost workdays, and recordable injury and illness rates. These measures help describe historical performance and evaluate changes over time.
Lagging indicators should be read alongside leading indicators that track preventive activities and control performance. A low injury rate alone does not establish that serious-injury exposure is absent. Comparisons require consistent case definitions, workforce coverage, and reporting periods.
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