BACK TO YOU: DON HURST
A near miss is defined as a potential hazard or incident in which no property was damaged and no personal injury was sustained, but where, given a slight shift in time or position, damage or injury easily could have occurred.
They can also be referred to as close calls, near accidents, or injury-free events and are leading indicators of health and safety performance.
Some examples of near misses include:
- Events where injury could have occurred but didn’t
- Unsafe or improper behavior or work habits
- Improper use of tools and equipment
- Malfunctioning equipment
It’s important to encourage your workers to report near misses as it can:
- Reduce risk
- Establish a safe and healthy work environment
- Provide an opportunity to improve the safety program
- Demonstrate trends
- Demonstrate management’s commitment to safety
For more information and resources on reporting near misses, please contact your regional safety advisor or visit our website.