They tell us where we have been, but they don't necessarily describe where we are going. Our numbers can deceive us. When we compare this year to last year, and so on, we are only comparing numbers. After the fact, we can mark progress and measure failure, but we cannot save lives by consulting trends. The annual, monthly and weekly goal of this organization should be zero.
Safety is a preventative issue.
I'm interested in where we are going. One must prepare in advance. Safety absolutely must be part of our planning process. We should make risk assessments and hazard identification a part of every operation we do. Safety, to be successful, must be an inborn part of our very core culture.