For every accident that occurs in the workplace, there are many more close calls. Maybe, a co-worker was pulled aside just in time to avoid burns from a piece of industrial equipment. Or, perhaps a forklift broke down in the middle of a job and the worker using it was able to walk away unscathed. A customer slip and fall accident that did not result in an injury would also be considered a “near miss”.
Situations like these are commonplace at just about every business and are referred to as “near misses”. Specifically, near misses refer to any unplanned event that did not result in injury, illness or property damage, but had the potential to do so.
So, while your business works to avoid any kind of workplace accidents, near misses can provide invaluable insight into known and unknown safety hazards. This information, in turn, allows companies to be proactive when it comes to monitoring and responding to on-the-job risks.
For every 300 near misses, there are typically 29 minor injuries and one major incident. This concept is referred to as the Safety Triangle and is demonstrated in the graphic below.
Near misses often go unreported, and employees typically notify management only after severe accidents occur. To help your business, we invite you to review this guide:
Near-miss Reporting in the Workplace.
The guide is designed to educate employers and employees on the importance of reporting near misses. In addition, this resource is a one-stop source for organizations of all kinds to create their own near-miss reporting program. Above all, near misses are a valuable source of information for managers and safety coordinators alike.
Near misses provide companies with an opportunity to identify hazards or weaknesses in their risk management programs and correct them to prevent future incidents.