Introduction to Health and Safety at Work

7.3 
Why measure performance?
7.3.1 Introduction
You can’t manage what you can’t measure – 
Drucker
Measurement is an accepted part of the ‘plan-do-check-
act’ management process. Measuring performance is as 
much part of a health and safety management system 
as fi nancial, production or service delivery manage-
ment. The HSG 65 framework for managing health and 
safety, discussed at the end of Chapter 1 and illustrated 
in Figure 7.1, shows where measuring performance fi ts 
within the overall health and safety management system.
The main purpose of measuring health and safety 
performance is to provide information on the progress 
and current status of the strategies, processes and 
activities employed to control health and safety risks. 
Effective measurement not only provides information on 
what the levels are but also why they are at this level, so 
that corrective action can be taken.
7.3.2 Answering 
questions
Health and safety monitoring or performance measure-
ment should seek to answer such questions as:
➤
where is the position relative to the overall health 
and safety aims and objectives?
➤
where is the position relative to the control of haz-
ards and risks?
➤
how does the organization compare with others?
➤
what is the reason for the current position?
➤
is the organization getting better or worse over time?
➤
is the management of health and safety doing the 
right things?
➤
is the management of health and safety doing things 
right consistently?
➤
is the management of health and safety proportion-
ate to the hazards and risks?
Figure 7.1
The health and safety management system.
Policy
Organizing
Planning and
implementing
Measuring
performance
Reviewing
performance
Auditing

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