Lagging indicators primarily measure?

• A. Future prevention
• B. Results of safety processes and incident statistics
• C. Hazard identifications
• D. Training effectiveness

Answer: (B)

Lagging indicators focus on what has already happened. They measure the outcomes of safety efforts by looking at actual results like injuries, illnesses, lost-time days, damage, and the overall incident counts over a period. Because they reflect the consequences of past safety activities, they show historical performance and trends, confirming whether previous controls and processes delivered the intended harm reduction. They’re useful for accountability and trend analysis, but they don’t necessarily tell you what risk exists now or predict what will happen next, and they can be affected by reporting practices.

The other options describe proactive measures that aim to prevent harm or improve what could happen in the future—things like hazard identifications, training effectiveness, or other indicators that look ahead rather than measure past results.