Associate Safety Professional Practice Exam

In evaluating safety, which measure is more qualitative rather than quantitative?

1. Incident reports

2. Employee safety perceptions

3. Accident frequency rate

4. Scheduled safety audits

The correct answer is: Employee safety perceptions

The measure that is more qualitative rather than quantitative is employee safety perceptions. This assessment focuses on individuals' thoughts, feelings, and attitudes towards safety in the workplace. It encompasses subjective experiences and insights about safety culture, practices, and behavioral expectations. Measuring employee safety perceptions often involves collecting feedback through surveys or interviews, which allows for a deeper understanding of how employees view risks and safety measures in their environment. In contrast, incident reports, the accident frequency rate, and scheduled safety audits are predominantly quantitative. Incident reports compile data on specific events that have occurred, the accident frequency rate quantifies the incidence of accidents over a specified period, and scheduled safety audits involve systematically evaluating safety practices against predetermined criteria. These methods yield numerical data that helps in tracking safety performance but do not capture the subjective nuances of employee attitudes and perceptions regarding safety.