Lori Guasta
Partner, Safety
ERM
Rethinking SIF Prevention: Models, Mindsets, and Missed Opportunities
Over the past decade, organizations such as DEKRA, the National Safety Council (NSC), and the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) have advanced SIF (serious injury and fatality) prevention models grounded in common elements—risk identification, control verification, and continuous improvement cycles. Yet, despite increased sophistication, SIF rates have largely plateaued, even as overall injury rates decline.
This session examines a critical question for risk and reliability leaders: are we over-engineering SIF prevention while underleveraging what we already know works? While many models emphasize complexity and innovation, they often overlook foundational risk management principles and the realities of how work is actually performed.
Drawing on High Reliability Organization (HRO) concepts, this session will challenge prevailing assumptions about SIF causation, including the role of human and organizational performance (HOP) in current models. It will also explore a frequently neglected dimension of risk — serious events occurring beyond traditional workplace boundaries — and the implications for prevention strategies.
Participants will gain a clearer understanding of why current approaches may be falling short and how a more focused, principle-based approach — centered on critical risk, exposure, and psychological safety — can strengthen reliability and deliver more meaningful reductions in serious harm.
Lori Guasta, Ph.D., is a Partner at ERM with more than 20 years of experience spanning government, academia, and industry. She combines deep research expertise with practical consulting insight to help organizations strengthen safety, leadership, and culture in high-risk sectors.
Lori has held senior roles at NIOSH, Predictive Safety, and the National Safety Council, where she led research and consulting initiatives focused on serious incident and fatality prevention and human-centered safety. Her work has advanced the application of innovative tools and strategies to improve organizational performance and reduce risk.
A published author and frequent speaker, Lori is recognized for translating complex research into actionable solutions that drive meaningful and sustainable safety outcomes.