Key performance indicators for benchmarking health and safety management in intra- and inter-company comparisons

Two case studies in health and safety management identified key performance indicators that reflected a company’s overall performance obtained from a full benchmarking audit. An intra-company benchmarking audit, comparing operational health and safety management performance was completed within 12 semi-autonomous subsidiaries of a large national food manufacturer. A significant (r = 0.985) positive relationship was obtained between ten operational performance indicators and overall performance. The key factors were found to have a common theme relating to employer-employee openness in communication on health and safety issues. An inter-company benchmarking audit comparing strategic health and safety management performance was completed within eight companies in the small, multi-site retail sector. A significant (r = 0.988) positive relationship was obtained between ten strategic performance indicators and overall performance. The key factors did not have a common theme but there was evidence that integration of health and safety management into long-term business decision making was a strong factor.