How can severity be measured?

Severity in the context of safety and risk management refers to the extent of harm or damage that can arise from incidents or accidents. Measuring severity typically involves looking at the tangible impacts associated with those incidents, such as lost time and the costs incurred due to damage.

Lost time is a critical factor because it reflects how many work hours are lost due to injuries. This can significantly affect productivity and morale within an organization. Costs associated with damage provide a financial metric to assess the impact of incidents. These expenses might include medical costs, property damage, legal fees, increased insurance premiums, and any costs related to training replacement workers.

In contrast, the number of reported injuries primarily reflects the frequency of incidents rather than their severity. Public feedback and reviews, while valuable for understanding perceptions and reputations, do not directly measure the objective severity of incidents. The frequency of incidents over time offers insight into trends and is useful for identifying elements of risk but does not provide a measure of the actual impact or severity of those incidents.

Therefore, focusing on lost time and the associated costs gives a clearer picture of the severity of incidents and their impact on the organization.