Which statement best describes leading indicators of a proactive safety culture?

• A. They measure past injuries
• B. They reflect proactive safety activities and help predict future performance
• C. They have no value in safety culture
• D. They only track cost savings

Answer: (B)

Leading indicators are metrics that track proactive safety efforts and safety processes before incidents happen. They focus on what the organization does to prevent harm—such as safety training completion, near-miss reporting, completed risk assessments, number of safety audits, and timely closing of corrective actions. Because these activities influence future safety, they help predict how well safety performance will look going forward. In contrast, measuring past injuries is a lagging indicator that reflects outcomes after harm has occurred, not the proactive steps that prevent it. Statements about value being absent or about tracking only cost savings miss the preventive, process-focused nature of leading indicators.