Chapter 04 · People & supply chainsHuman Rights & Social Sustainability

Total recordable incident rate (TRIR)

Meaning statusEstablishedSource recordDirect source requestedWhy these are different

Definition

Total recordable incident rate is a safety metric measuring recordable workplace incidents relative to hours worked over a defined period.

References

ILOInternational labour standards

This reference provides supporting context for how “Total recordable incident rate (TRIR)” is defined and used.

Overview

What it means in practice

Total recordable incident rate (TRIR) should be read as a human-rights and social-sustainability term. Its meaning depends on the affected people, workplace, legal context, severity and evidence available.

In practice, users should state the boundary, actor, method and evidence. That keeps total recordable incident rate (trir) specific enough for review without turning it into a broader claim.

Why it matters

Total recordable incident rate (TRIR) matters because social sustainability language can affect real rights, remedy and accountability. Clear wording helps prevent serious harms from being hidden behind generic risk language.

Common misconception

A common error is to treat Total recordable incident rate (TRIR) as a compliance label only. The stronger approach is to state who is affected, what harm or right is at issue, and what evidence or remedy exists.

Review questions

Who or what is covered by the term? What evidence supports it? What limitation, method or affected group would change how a reader interprets the claim?

How it is used

In professional practice, “Total recordable incident rate (TRIR)” helps employers, buyers, suppliers, governments, workers and affected communities describe or assess a safety metric measuring recordable workplace incidents relative to hours worked over a defined period. It is commonly encountered in workplace policy, sourcing, human-rights due diligence, community engagement and supply-chain management.

A credible application identifies the affected population, supply-chain boundary, local context, timeframe and evidence from rights-holders.

Have evidence, context, or a correction to share? Every suggestion is considered by an editor before publication.

Meaning status
Established
Last verification recorded
22 Aug 2026
Last updated
22 Aug 2026
What the classifications mean

Meaning status: Established

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