Jani Jumppanen, Jyri Paasonen, Mikko Aaltonen
The findings suggest that safety observation frequency alone does not function as a direct predictor of accident occurrence. Instead, observation activity appears to reflect broader organizational factors such as reporting practices, safety engagement, and local safety management processes.
INTRODUCTION: Safety observations are widely used as proactive tools in safety management, yet their relationship with accident outcomes remains unclear.
METHOD: This study examines safety observation practices and their association with total recordable injuries (TRIs) across seven production units within the same industrial organization during 2023-2025. Safety observations were normalized as observations per 100 working hours and accident occurrence was measured using TRI rates.
RESULTS: The results reveal substantial variation among production units in both observation activity and accident occurrence. Temporal analysis shows a recurring pattern in which observation reporting declines during mid-year and increases toward the end of the year. Correlation analysis indicates no consistent linear relationship between observation activity and TRI levels across units.
CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that safety observation frequency alone does not function as a direct predictor of accident occurrence. Instead, observation activity appears to reflect broader organizational factors such as reporting practices, safety engagement, and local safety management processes.
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: The study highlights the importance of interpreting safety observation metrics within their organizational context when assessing safety performance.