Real Ltifr Frequency Rates

[Seabrook]

Hi,

Could you possibly point me to valid and up to date LTIFR information, specifically for the road construction industry in US & Australia(I am down under). The majority of info that I have found was last updated in 2006, so not very current.

Also, I am wondering if other safety professionals are "pressured" into downgrading LTI's, to ensure that the statistics look OK and how they have dealt with same.

Thanks

[Lach]

: Anne, in response to the first part of your question, in reviewing the available data on line(certainly not a complete listing) I come up with the following:

United States - http://www.bls.gov/iif/osheval.htm   last year available 2007

Go to the bottom where under Tools, you will find a link to “Databases and Tables”, and then start searching.

Australia - http://www.workplace.gov.au/workplace/Publications/WorkplaceRelations/WorkplaceR...  last report November 2008

In both cases you will have to “dig” through the available data looking for numbers that might be satisfactory.  I can’t speak to how things are done in Australia, but sometimes I sense that in this country the approach is to list so many numbers and so much data in obtuse manners that no one is able to tell if the agency is really doing anything.  And some governmental officials have that approach to an exacting science.  Trade associations can be an excellent source of data and may tend to be more recent than others.  Insurance companies also keep much data but unless you are a customer such can be hard to come by.  Please keep in mind that you should question the validity of any numbers you find.  In the US at least, there have been so many interpretations of the record keeping rules over time that I no longer place much value in most of them other than to make “pretty” charts.

In regards to the second part of your question,  yes this is a problem most if not all safety professionals face at one time in their career.  There are many ways the situation can be handled from a simple “Go to hell” to a question of “would you want the accounting department to change the books to always show a large profit?.”  (Better be careful on the last, according to recent news reports it would appear that with some US companies this is the exact approach used in accounting.)  Much of this will depend on the company and individuals involved.  About all you can do is to carefully explain the disadvantages of “cooking the books” regarding accident records and statistics and then work with management on identifying a few key areas(such as supervisor replacement) that will bring the desired numbers in a proper manner.  Over the years I have been very lucky and have always been able to fend on any pressure to “push” the statistics in a favorable direction.  I have always made a point of delivering “bad” news in person with some positive approaches on impacting the results in a desirable direction.  I have known a few safety professionals who have left their positions due to this type of pressure but that is a choice each person must make on their own.  I hope this will provide some assistance in this matter.

Michael Brown, CSP Retired

[Taithleach]

Subject: Real LTIFR frequency rates

: Hi, could you possibly point me to valid and up to date LTIFR information, specifically for the road construction industry in US & Australia(I am down under). The majority of info that I have found was last updated in 2006, so not very current.  Also, I am wondering if other safety professionals are "pressured" into downgrading LTI's, to ensure that the statistics look OK and how they have dealt with same.  Thanks