Closing the book on another year, and opening a new one, is a good time to pause and reflect. We look back at the hurdles cleared, the hard lessons learned and the resilience our teams have shown. But as we kick off 2026, reflection must turn into resolve.
This is the moment to identify the simple changes that will fundamentally alter the trajectory of your performance and your people. You don’t need a perfect system to start; you simply need the courage to take steps toward what matters most.
For the new year, the mission is clear: We must focus our efforts where the stakes are highest – preventing serious incidents and fatalities.
The challenge: Moving beyond ‘good enough’ metrics
We’ve learned a hard truth over the past decade: Low injury rates don’t prevent the most serious incidents. Unfortunately, we routinely see organizations of all sizes that have stellar total recordable incident rates experience devastating events. This paradox is the greatest challenge facing environmental, health and safety leaders today.
If your 2026 strategy relies solely on lagging indicators, you’re driving while looking only at the rearview mirror. If it doesn’t prioritize SIF risks, critical safeguards and engagement across your organization, you may be missing the mark entirely. Your leadership not only affects your organization’s SIF prevention strategy – it also sets the ceiling for the performance of your teams and industry.
Five strategic steps for SIF prevention
As you finalize your strategy for 2026, set plans in motion that move beyond compliance and into capacity. Here are five practical areas to implement or strengthen:
1. Identify actual and potential SIFs
Develop clear criteria and consistent processes to log both actual and potential SIFs. High reporting of potential events isn’t a sign of failure – it’s a sign of a high-trust culture and organizational strength. Coach leaders to celebrate the reporting of potential SIFs and support learning for improvement.
2. Classify potential SIFs and incidents: “controlled” vs. “uncontrolled”
Stop asking, “Who didn’t follow the procedure?” and start asking, “Was a safeguard in place that prevented a bad outcome?” For every SIF and potential SIF, verify whether safeguards were in place and functioning as intended. If a tragic outcome was avoided only by luck, classify it as uncontrolled. Use this data to systematically improve critical safeguards rather than relying on fortune.
3. Strengthen SIF risk reduction: Refine your processes for identifying, prioritizing and reducing risks tied to high-hazard activities
Select the top one to three specific SIF risks that will make the biggest positive impact in each of your operations. Support teams in the field to verify safeguards are in action, confirming what works and identifying where the gaps truly lie.
4. Engage people around safeguards: Paperwork doesn’t save lives, safeguards do
Create systems that drive real engagement between workers and leaders regarding SIF risks. Move away from generic “be safe” messages and encourage deeper dialogue about specific safeguards and critical controls. Psychological safety is the bedrock of SIF prevention. Make sure you and your leaders focus on trust, dialogue and field-based learning.
5. Track the metrics that matter and shift your focus to leading indicators that drive behavior
Develop meaningful metrics such as:
- Engagement quality scores
- Safeguard verification rates
- The ratio of potential SIFs “controlled” vs. “total”
- Overall SIF risks reduced or eliminated
These aren’t just safety goals – they’re leadership imperatives. Choose a critical few to improve this year. With small, consistent steps, you’ll build lasting momentum.
Invest in growing yourself and others
Strategy is essential, but it’s people who execute it. The best EHS leaders never stop learning, and they never stop mentoring others. Make 2026 the year you intentionally evolve.
Reflect on your growth. Ask yourself, “Where was I uncomfortable this year?” Growth happens at the edge of your comfort zone. Identify one technical area and one soft skill to master in 2026.
Coach emerging leaders. The greatest legacy you leave is the competence of the people you lead. Don’t just correct errors – coach thinking and continuous learning. Ask your supervisors and executives, “How are we preparing others to lead SIF prevention after we’re gone?”
Create opportunities for shared learning. Break down silos. Facilitate cross-departmental reviews of potential SIFs so that a lesson learned in one area protects everyone.
Gratitude and the road ahead
Improvement is a journey, not a destination. Each step strengthens the foundation for future success. Whether you’re setting EHS strategy, driving improvement goals or building a more resilient culture, the choices you make now determine how well your organization protects its people and communities from the most serious events.
Thank you for your hard work in 2025, for the long hours spent in the field, the difficult decisions made and the care you demonstrated. Your leadership matters. Now, let’s make 2026 a year of purpose, impact and safety.
Perry Logan, senior strategic advisor, workplace safety solutions, has more than 30 years of experience in the EHS field. Prior to joining NSC in October 2023, Logan worked at Health + Safety Leadership Partners, a consulting firm that specializes in providing strategic insights and practical solutions in the areas of health, safety, wellness, and sustainability. He also spent 20 years at 3M, serving as vice president of EHS chemical operations.
