Near Misses - Learning from Close Calls

What is a Near Miss?

A near miss is an unplanned event that did not result in injury, illness, or damage – but had the potential to do so. It's an incident where a slight shift in time or position could easily have led to property damage or personal injury. Think of it as a "close call" or "narrow escape."

Why Are Near Misses Important?

Near misses are crucial learning opportunities. They serve as warning signs, highlighting potential hazards or weaknesses in our safety procedures before someone gets hurt or property gets damaged. By reporting and investigating near misses, we can:

• Identify underlying causes and unsafe conditions.
• Implement corrective actions proactively.
• Prevent similar, potentially more serious incidents in the future.
• Strengthen our overall safety culture and awareness.

Ignoring near misses means ignoring valuable information that could prevent future harm.

Examples of Near Misses

Based on common workplace situations, here are some examples:

• Utility Lines: Digging equipment comes very close to an underground utility but doesn't strike it.
• Energy Control: A worker almost operates equipment that wasn't properly locked/tagged out but realizes the error just in time.
• Equipment: A tool slips from a worker's grasp or a machine part unexpectedly detaches, falling near someone without hitting them.
• Vehicles: Two site vehicles nearly collide, requiring sudden braking but avoiding contact.
• Spills: A small chemical leak occurs but is quickly contained before spreading or causing exposure.
• Unforeseen Conditions: Encountering a hazard during a task that wasn't identified in the initial job briefing, requiring work to be stopped.

Building Your Safety Mindset

1. Be Aware: Constantly assess your surroundings for potential hazards. Recognize that a close call today could be an accident tomorrow.
2. Speak Up: Don't hesitate to report any near miss, no matter how minor it seems. Use your Stop Work Authority if you see an unsafe condition developing.
3. Learn: Treat near miss reports as valuable data. Participate in discussions about them and understand the corrective actions being taken.
4. Improve: Reflect on near misses related to your tasks. Could your Job Hazard Analysis or pre-job briefing be more thorough?

Discussion Points

1. Can you recall a near miss you experienced or witnessed? What were the circumstances?
2. Why might someone hesitate to report a near miss? How can we overcome that?
3. How can we use information from near misses to improve our Job Briefings and hazard assessments?

Action Steps

• Commit to reporting any near miss you experience or witness immediately.
• Review recent near miss reports shared within your team or site.
• During your next Job Briefing, specifically discuss potential near miss scenarios related to the task.
• Encourage colleagues to report near misses without fear of blame.