Beyond TRIR: Reframing Safety Performance for SIF Prevention in Contractor Management and Construction

The evidence is clear: declining OSHA recordable rates do not equate to reduced risk of serious incidents and fatalities (SIFs). Yet many organizations continue to rely on TRIR-driven requirements that can unintentionally distort behaviors, obscure critical exposures, and shift focus away from the highest-risk work.

This executive panel brings together leaders from across the industrial, contracting, and construction ecosystem to examine how traditional safety metrics influence decision-making, contractor management practices, and operational priorities. The discussion will focus on a new path forward—one that prioritizes identification of high hazard activities, clear understanding and prioritization of SIF risk, disciplined verification of critical safeguards, and visible leadership engagement where work is performed.

Featuring perspectives from leading companies that have made measurable progress in SIF Prevention, panelists will share practical insights, lessons learned, and the strategies they are using to move beyond injury-rate-driven systems. Participants will gain exposure to new approaches for aligning owner and contractor expectations, strengthening risk-based decision-making, and improving consistency across complex project environments.

The session will also explore how emerging ASTM SIF Prevention standards and the NSC SIF Prevention Promise are helping establish shared frameworks across owners, contractors, and suppliers—advancing a more aligned, transparent, and effective approach to preventing serious harm.