There’s something we don’t talk about enough in safety and that’s the gap between what’s measured and what really matters.
Across high-risk industries, many organisations have proudly driven down their recordable injury rates... and that’s a good thing. However, in many places, serious injuries and fatalities (SIFs) numbers haven’t improved at all. In some cases, they’ve gotten worse.
This tells us something important: what we’ve been measuring isn’t telling us what we really need to know. And what we need to know is this, where is the risk, right now? Who is exposed? And what are we doing to prevent harm before it happens?
This blog is about solving that problem. It's about leading indicators, why they matter, why they’re hard, and how we’re finally in a place to do something about it.
Lagging Indicators Won’t Get Us There.
Most safety metrics still focus on the past Total Recordable Injury and Lost Time Injury Frequency rates. These are useful in context, but they are not predictive and they tell us nothing about what might happen tomorrow.
In fact, a landmark study by dss+ in the mining sector revealed that most fatal and near-fatal events occurred during routine, everyday tasks. Work that was perceived as low-risk. It’s a sobering reminder that you can’t spot SIF potential by looking at lost time injuries alone.
To prevent serious harm, we need a shift from hindsight to foresight. From measuring what’s already happened, to understanding what’s happening now.
Leading Indicators: Essential, but Elusive.
Leading indicators offer a proactive view of safety. They show us what’s being done to reduce risk before an incident occurs, things like:
- Whether critical controls are in place.
- Whether inspections are completed.
- Whether teams are trained and engaged.
Sounds simple. But most organisations struggle to measure these things consistently.
Why? Because the systems weren’t built for it. Many still rely on spreadsheets, manual sign-offs, disconnected tools and siloed processes. Safety, operations, quality, environment — they all work in parallel, but rarely together.
As a result:
- Routine risk controls fall through the cracks.
- Leaders get incomplete or outdated information.
- Safety teams spend more time chasing data than managing risk.
And the bigger the business, the more complex the challenge.
Technology Should Make This Easier, Not Harder.
At Unifii, we’ve spent years talking with leaders across industries who want to move from compliance to confidence, from reactive to proactive. The barrier is rarely intent. It’s execution.
That’s why we built Unifii Operations Cloud™ to make leading indicators visible, verifiable and valuable.
Here’s how it works:
- You define the recurring tasks that manage your critical risks, from toolbox talks and confined space checks to isolations, audits and inspections.
- You assign them to the right people, by role, location or business unit.
- You enable simple, real-time capture from anywhere, mobile, desktop, even offline.
- And you track it all on live dashboards that show what’s done, what’s overdue, and where the gaps are.
No more spreadsheets. No more guessing. Just clarity.
From Data Burden to Insight Engine.
One of the most common frustrations we hear from the field is this: “We’re drowning in data, but we still don’t know what’s going on.”
Every point solution adds more complexity, more portals, more logins, more effort, and still, no single source of truth.
Unifii solves this by bringing everything into one connected, configurable platform. It mirrors your operational structure, supports unlimited users (including contractors), integrates with existing systems and replaces fragmentation with focus.
The result? Systems that give you data you can trust, insights that drive action, and the freedom to focus on the work, not the admin.
It’s About Culture, Not Just Compliance.
The dss+ study was clear on this. Data alone doesn’t change outcomes. Leadership does.
And not just at the executive level. Yes, boardrooms matter. But what matters more is what’s reinforced on the ground, day in and day out.
That’s why leading indicators are so powerful. They give leaders at every level the ability to spot weak signals, respond in real time, and shape conversations that actually prevent harm.
When workers see that the data they enter leads to action, trust builds. Engagement follows. Culture shifts. And safety becomes part of how work gets done not a separate layer on top.
The Real Question: Are You Solving the Right Problem?
If your systems are still focused on recording what’s already happened, it’s time to pause.
Ask yourself:
- Do we know which risk controls matter most?
- Can we see, today, whether those controls are in place?
- Do our systems support prevention, or just documentation?
Because the goal isn’t to collect data. The goal is to learn from it. And with tools like Unifii Operations Cloud™ we can finally do that, at scale, in real-time, in a way that helps people lead, not just comply.
What’s Next?
This blog is part of a wider series unpacking how real organisations are tackling complex safety and operational challenges with modern, user-first technology.
In the next post, we’ll explore how Unifii’s sweet spot model, designed with users, not just for them, is helping clients overcome the barriers that traditional solutions have left behind.
Because when systems work for people, everything changes.
Until next time, stay safe and lead well.
Cheers...
Paul
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