Serious Injury and Fatality Prevention Program Maturity Assessment
Recognizing a critical exposure and being prepared to act are capabilities that need to be examined before an accident happens. This assessment evaluates the maturity of the serious injury and fatality prevention program, using a proprietary methodology.
Lagging indicators show what has already happened, but they are not enough to understand an organization's capacity for prevention. The methodology cross-references anticipation, preparedness and protection with critical exposures, amplifiers and controls. The assessment therefore looks at how the organization recognizes risks and prepares to respond before an event occurs.
The three dimensions of maturity
Anticipation
Assesses the organization's ability to recognize critical exposures before they lead to a serious injury or a fatality.
Preparedness
Examines how responsibilities, decisions and practices are organized to respond to the exposures identified and to the factors that can amplify them.
Protection
Looks at how the controls for critical exposures are defined, applied and monitored in real work.
Critical exposures, amplifiers and controls
Critical exposures are situations with the potential for serious or fatal accidents. Amplifiers are factors that can increase the likelihood or severity of those events. Controls are the measures and barriers meant to prevent the event or reduce its consequences.
The methodology brings these three elements together so the organization does not judge its program solely by the existence of documents, indicators or isolated activities.
When the assessment is recommended
- When the organization already has a prevention program and needs to understand its level of maturity.
- When high-potential events persist despite favorable overall indicators.
- When sites or operations show different capabilities for anticipation, preparedness and protection.
- When the organization has already identified critical exposures but still needs to examine how they relate to amplifiers and controls.
- When leadership needs to set priorities to strengthen the prevention of serious injuries and fatalities.
How the assessment is conducted
The work begins by understanding the context, the reach of the program and the operations involved. Sources of evidence and analysis instruments are chosen to fit the organization's reality.
The proprietary methodology cross-references the three dimensions of maturity with critical exposures, amplifiers and controls. The feedback report sets out the current situation, the weaknesses found and the priorities that should guide the program's development.
Participants, reach, instruments and feedback format are defined in the scope. The assessment does not assume a universal public scale, nor does it promise to eliminate serious injuries and fatalities.
How the assessments differ from an investigation
The Safety Culture Assessment looks at broad patterns, such as leadership, trust, response to risk and the gaps between what is said and what is done.
This assessment focuses on the capacity for anticipation, preparedness and protection in the face of critical exposures.
Accident Investigation starts from a specific event to understand what happened and guide the organization's learning.
Frequently asked questions about the SIF Prevention Maturity Assessment
What is a Serious Injury and Fatality (SIF) prevention maturity assessment?
EHS Brasil's Serious Injury and Fatality Prevention Program Maturity Assessment uses a proprietary methodology to evaluate how the organization anticipates, prepares for and protects itself against critical exposures. These three dimensions are cross-referenced with amplifiers and controls, instead of looking only at lagging indicators.
When should a company carry out a SIF maturity assessment?
EHS Brasil's SIF maturity assessment is recommended when the organization already has a prevention program and wants to understand its maturity level, when high-potential events persist despite favorable indicators, when sites have different capabilities or when leadership needs to set priorities for preventing serious injuries and fatalities.
What is the difference between a SIF maturity assessment and a Safety Culture Assessment?
EHS Brasil's SIF maturity assessment focuses on the capacity to anticipate, prepare for and protect against critical exposures. The Safety Culture Assessment looks at broader patterns, such as leadership, trust, the response to risk and the gaps between what is said and what is done. Accident Investigation, in turn, starts from a specific event.
Other services
All services →Safety Culture Assessment
Gaps between what is said and what is done, culture maturity and priorities for leadership.
Learn more →Assessment and investigationAccident Investigation
Leading, reviewing or deepening investigations of serious accidents, including fatalities.
Learn more →Strategy and executionStrategic Safety Planning
Setting priorities, responsibilities and ways to track safety within the business strategy.
Learn more →