--- title: The OPM safety survey and its indications | Blog description: The OPM survey can provide insights into the strengths and weaknesses of an organization and strengthen accountability for practicing safety measures. --- [![EHS Analytics](https://www.ehsanalytics.com/hs-fs/hubfs/logo1.png?width=150&height=63&name=logo1.png)](https://www.ehsanalytics.com) - [Data Solutions](https://www.ehsanalytics.com/data-solutions) - [Intelligent Data Collection](https://www.ehsanalytics.com/intelligent-data-collection) - [Safety Data Warehouse](https://www.ehsanalytics.com/safety-data-warehouse) - [Safety Outcomes & Insights](https://www.ehsanalytics.com/safety-outcomes-insights) - [Enterprise AI](https://www.ehsanalytics.com/enterprise-ai) - [EHS Incident Description Analyzer (EIDA)](https://www.ehsanalytics.com/ehs-incident-description-analyzer) - [Injury Predictor & Analyzer (IPA)](https://www.ehsanalytics.com/injury-predictor-analyzer) - [EHS Industry Insights](https://www.ehsanalytics.com/ehs-industry-insights) - [SupplierLink](https://www.ehsanalytics.com/supplierlink) - [Blog](https://www.ehsanalytics.com/blog) [Contact Us](https://www.ehsanalytics.com/contact-us) Analytics # The OPM safety survey and its indications The OPM survey can provide insights into the strengths and weaknesses of an organization and strengthen accountability for practicing safety measures. [Cory Bass](https://www.ehsanalytics.com/blog/author/cory-bass) Mar 24, 2022 --- The [**OPM (Organizational Performance Metric) safety survey**](https://www.iwh.on.ca/tools-and-guides/iwh-organizational-performance-metric) was chosen due to its simplicity. I always remember a photographer saying the best camera he had was the one that got the shot. Similarly, a survey could be a mile long and uncover tons of interesting information yet, if almost no one is willing to take it, it will fail. The OPM safety survey couldn’t be simpler.  ### Background of the OPM safety survey The OPM safety survey was developed by Dr. Ben Amick, in collaboration with Ontario’s health and safety associations while working together to determine leading indicators of health and safety. The OPM survey is an established method that is short and simple enough to get more participants. Industry standards were already set for the OPM safety survey as records of questions collected from Ontario firms from 2011-2013 provided needed benchmarking. In the past, the OPM survey has been used in other jurisdictions (completed by thousands of organizations) and therefore has comparative sets of data to work with, delivering immediate value to the users, rather than years later after many annual surveys and analysis.  ### Our modified OPM safety survey Our version of the OPM survey has eight questions in total, with short additional questions at the end. Participants were asked to go in and rank each safety practice, with 0% being the lowest score (least practiced) and 100% being the highest score (practiced everyday). The additional questions provided insights about each individual’s role within the organization, and the number of employees within the organization, etc. The individuals’ answers remain anonymous. The OPM safety survey is conducted multiple times to track and measure an organization’s safety culture. ### Research behind the OPM safety survey The**[Ontario Leading Indicators Project](https://www.iwh.on.ca/projects/ontario-leading-indicators-project)** reveals that OPM scores are predictive of injury rates over the next three years and that those that score higher on the survey were associated with a lower risk of claims, while those that scored lower, were associated with a higher risk of claims.  At the **company level**, the OPM survey can provide insights into the strengths and weaknesses of an organization. Repeated implementation of the OPM survey can measure the input that companies are making to improve safety, and its outcomes, whether they are effective or not. The OPM survey can inspire a positive culture towards improving safety. In Saskatchewan, the “[**SK Leadership Charter Project**](http://www.mtpinnacle.com/pdfs/SK-Leadership-Charter-Project-Final-Report-final-version.pdf)” explored how top organizational leaders impact safety, concluding that executive leadership has a positive impact on safety, mainly through a “trickle-down” process. – flowing from CEOs, to executives, and to frontline employees. Analysis also shows that a stronger commitment made to safety at the executive level will enhance broader performance benefits such as: - **A more engaged workforce** - **Lower employee turnover intentions** (and potential savings related to hiring, training, & lost productivity) - **Potentially higher organizational performance** At the **industry level**, the OPM survey can strengthen accountability for practicing safety measures, as well as gauge the connection between policies, procedures, and activities to achieve better safety outcomes.  The next blog of our OPM series reveals our methodology and implementation of the OPM survey in collaboration with the [**Saskatchewan Construction Safety Association (SCSA)**](https://scsaonline.ca/)! We will also be administering the second round of the OPM safety survey in April 2022 to SCSA members! **Visit us** **on**: [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/ehs-analytics/) | [Twitter](https://twitter.com/ehsanalytics) | [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/ehsanalytics/)   [Analytics](https://www.ehsanalytics.com/blog/tag/analytics) [Data Science](https://www.ehsanalytics.com/blog/tag/data-science) [Safety](https://www.ehsanalytics.com/blog/tag/safety) [Safety Culture](https://www.ehsanalytics.com/blog/tag/safety-culture) ## Similar posts Safety Culture ### [Using Data to Strengthen Safety Culture: Improving Construction Safety](https://www.ehsanalytics.com/blog/using-data-to-strengthen-safety-culture-improving-construction-safety) See how construction firms are using data-driven insights to improve workplace safety culture. EHS Analytics Mar 7, 2025 Analytics ### [OPM as a potential leading indicator](https://www.ehsanalytics.com/blog/opm-as-a-potential-leading-indicator) If the surveys demonstrate aggregate alignment with incidents, they can be applied as leading indicators for companies as a warning indicator. Cory Bass Sep 21, 2023 Big Data ### [The Quest for Leading Indicators – The Holy Grail of Safety](https://www.ehsanalytics.com/blog/the-quest-for-leading-indicators-the-holy-grail-of-safety) A leading indicator in safety is a piece of data that corresponds with and can help to predict and forecast future change in risk and unsafe events. Cory Bass Nov 13, 2020 ### Get the newest insights on safety analytics Looking for up-to-date information AI for safety? Want best practices for your safety data? Subscribe to our newsletter for the newest updates!         ### Subscribe Now [![EHS ANALYTICS LOGO - White.png](https://www.ehsanalytics.com/hubfs/EHS%20ANALYTICS%20LOGO%20-%20White.png.png)](https://www.ehsanalytics.com) EHS Analytics 900 6th Ave SW Suite #805 Calgary, AB T2P 3K2 Email: [info@ehsanalytics.com](mailto:info@ehsanalytics.com)   ### Services - [Safety Analytics Consulting](https://www.ehsanalytics.com/safety-analytics-consulting) - [Safety Data Warehouse Design](https://www.ehsanalytics.com/safety-data-warehouse-design) - [Integrations & Data Pipelines](https://www.ehsanalytics.com/integrations-data-pipelines) - [Dashboard Design](https://www.ehsanalytics.com/dashboard-design) - [Research & Analysis](https://www.ehsanalytics.com/research-analysis) - [Predictive Analytics](https://www.ehsanalytics.com/predictive-analytics) ### Products - [EHS Incident Description Analyzer (EIDA)](https://www.ehsanalytics.com/ehs-incident-description-analyzer) - [Injury Predictor & Analyzer (IPA)](https://www.ehsanalytics.com/injury-predictor-analyzer) - [EHS Dynamic Safety Mobile App](https://www.ehsanalytics.com/ehs-dynamic-safety-mobile-app) - [Contractor Data Chain](https://www.ehsanalytics.com/contractor-data-chain) - [EHS Industry Insights](https://www.ehsanalytics.com/ehs-industry-insights) - [SupplierLink](https://www.ehsanalytics.com/supplierlink) ### Company - [About Us](https://www.ehsanalytics.com/company) - [Channel Partner Program](https://www.ehsanalytics.com/channel-partner-program) © 2025 EHS Analytics All rights reserved [Privacy Policy](https://www.ehsanalytics.com/privacy-policy) [Powered by Atlas - a B2B SaaS HubSpot theme](https://www.kalungi.com/atlas-hubspot-theme-for-b2b-saas-software) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Cory Bass", "url" : "https://www.ehsanalytics.com/blog/author/cory-bass" }, "dateModified" : "2023-11-23T23:11:23.491Z", "datePublished" : "2022-03-24T06:00:00.000Z", "headline" : "The OPM safety survey and its indications | Blog ", "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://www.ehsanalytics.com/blog/the-opm-safety-survey-and-its-indications", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://www.ehsanalytics.com/hubfs/EHS%20Analytics%20Logo%20resized%20-%201393%20x%20570%20px.png" } } } ```