1. What is Severity Rate?

The Severity Rate is a safety metric that measures the severity of workplace injuries or illnesses by calculating lost workdays per hours worked, scaled by a standard base (200,000 hours).

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the Severity Rate formula:

Where:

• \( \text{Lost Days} \) — Total days lost due to work-related injuries or illnesses
• \( \text{Hours Worked} \) — Total hours worked by all employees during the period
• 200,000 — Standard base representing 100 employees working 40 hours/week for 50 weeks

Explanation: The rate shows the number of lost days per 100 full-time workers, allowing comparison across organizations of different sizes.

3. Importance of Severity Rate

Details: Severity Rate helps organizations assess the impact of workplace injuries, prioritize safety improvements, and benchmark against industry standards.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter total lost days (calendar days, not just work days) and total hours worked by all employees during the same period. Both values must be positive numbers.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What's a good Severity Rate?
A: Lower is better. Rates vary by industry, but typically <1.0 is considered good, while >5.0 indicates significant safety concerns.

Q2: How does this differ from Incidence Rate?
A: Incidence Rate counts number of injuries, while Severity Rate measures days lost due to those injuries.

Q3: What counts as a "lost day"?
A: Any day an employee is unable to work due to a work-related injury or illness, including weekends and holidays.

Q4: Why use 200,000 hours?
A: This represents 100 employees working 40 hours/week for 50 weeks, providing a standardized base for comparison.

Q5: How often should Severity Rate be calculated?
A: Typically calculated annually, but can be done quarterly for more frequent monitoring.