Dr. Ayers introduces the Hazard Identification and Resolution Rate, a powerful leading indicator that measures how effectively an organization finds hazards and—more importantly—fixes them. The episode stresses that identifying hazards is only half the job; the real value comes from closing them out quickly and reliably.
This metric reveals the health of a safety culture far more accurately than injury rates.
The Hazard Identification and Resolution Rate tracks:
How many hazards workers and leaders are finding
Whether hazards are being reported consistently
Whether reporting is encouraged or discouraged
Whether the organization is generating enough “eyes on risk”
How many identified hazards are actually corrected
How quickly they are resolved
Whether fixes are temporary or permanent
Whether high‑risk hazards are prioritized
The metric captures both volume and follow‑through.
Unresolved hazards are direct precursors to injuries.
High identification + high resolution = strong safety culture Low identification + low resolution = fear, apathy, or disengagement
Low resolution rates often point to:
Poor maintenance support
Lack of ownership
Slow approval processes
Understaffed teams
Leaders who don’t follow up
When workers see hazards fixed quickly, they believe leadership cares.
Organizations may tailor the formula, but the episode frames it as two related metrics:
Number of hazards identified ÷ Number of workers (or hours worked)
Number of hazards resolved ÷ Number of hazards identified
High identification + high resolution = a healthy, proactive system.
Dr. Ayers highlights several traps:
Focusing only on identification Finding hazards without fixing them creates frustration.
Focusing only on resolution Fixing a few hazards looks good on paper but hides under‑reporting.
Punishing workers for reporting hazards This kills the identification rate instantly.
Treating all hazards equally High‑severity hazards must be resolved first.
Using temporary fixes as “resolution” Tape and zip‑ties don’t count.
Reward workers for identifying hazards, not for staying quiet.
Every hazard needs a responsible person and a due date.
Fix high‑severity hazards first.
Speed matters—slow fixes increase exposure.
Verify that “resolved” hazards are actually resolved.
Strong safety leaders:
Treat hazard identification as a positive behavior
Ensure hazards are fixed quickly, not just logged
Use the metric as a leading indicator of system health
Build trust by closing the loop with workers
Focus on permanent controls, not temporary patches
A facility identifies 60 hazards in a month. Of those:
48 are resolved
12 remain open
Hazard Resolution Rate = 48 ÷ 60 = 80%
If the organization’s target is 90%, the gap signals slow follow‑through or resource constraints.
