A near miss is an incident that had the potential to cause injury or damage but fortunately didn’t result in any harm. While these events may seem harmless in the moment, they are crucial signs of underlying risks that need to be addressed.
Near Miss Vs. Incident
A near miss is an unintentional workplace incident that could have resulted in damages, injuries, or death, but fortunately was avoided. An incident is an unintended event that could lead or has led to damage, injury, or death. Incidents typically include both near misses and accidents.
If there was a work-related incident where no injury or illness occurred, but had the potential to occur, it is classified as a near miss.
Examples of Near Misses
Near misses can happen in any industry. You can recognize near misses and use them as a tool to change processes that prevent future incidents from occurring. There are many examples of near misses, including:
- A worker in a warehouse who is nearly struck by a forklift
- Tool malfunctions
- A tool is dropped and lands beside another person
- A worker nearly slipping into an unguarded opening
- Or, using the top of a ladder as a step
Importance
Near misses are important because:
- They can be a sign of a future health and safety hazard
- They can be an opportunity to improve safety measures and learn how to prevent accidents
- And, they can help improve worker safety by identifying hazards and implementing control measures before they cause injuries
Reporting
Any near misses that are in accordance with your company’s accident investigation policy should be reported. Information from near misses are crucial to identify what changes are needed in the workplace to make it safer. If a near miss is not corrected, it could become an accident, leading to possible injuries, damages, or death.
Reporting procedures include:
- Report to supervisor once it occurs
- If it is a result of an unsafe condition, do not continue working under those conditions until the issue has been corrected
- And, if it is a result of unsafe acts, ensure everyone involved is alerted to their actions prior to continuing the job
Near misses are not reported on the OSHA 300, 300A, or 301 Logs. The reporting is internal to the company so there is no negative impact from reporting.
Safety Guidelines
Safety guidelines for near misses include:
- Report all near misses right away
- If possible, remove the hazard immediately
- Report damaged equipment that may cause a near miss to occur
- Consider the root cause of near misses and all events that led up to it
- And, consider what was different that caused the near miss to occur
Conclusion
Near misses are valuable learning opportunities that should never be overlooked. While they may not result in injury or damage, they serve as important warnings about potential hazards that could lead to serious accidents. By recognizing and reporting near misses, we can proactively address risks and create a safer environment for everyone.