Near Misses Part III

Introduction

A “near miss” or “minor incident” is a close call that has the potential for property loss or injury and prevents a task from being completed as planned. It has been reported that 75 percent of on-the-job injuries were preceded by minor incidents or near misses. Don’t miss the message of a near miss!

Tips on Near Misses

Near misses are accidents waiting to happen. The only difference between a near miss and an accident is a fraction of an inch or a second in time.

Report all near misses right away. Most accidents are preceded by multiple near misses. Report them to your supervisor so that he or she can track the patterns, pinpoint the problem, and take corrective action.

If possible, remove the hazard immediately. Do your part to protect your co-workers, patients, and visitors from injury. But don’t forget to report the hazard even if you removed it.

Report damaged equipment or property. Don’t wait for a near miss or accident to happen. Stay alert for anything that could cause an accident. Injuries can often be traced back to equipment or property damage that was never reported and repaired.

Often we look at the event but not the scenario. Consider all the events that led up to the near miss is the best way to report.

Consider what was different this time that caused the near miss. Change from the norm is often where the near miss and accident occurs. Different tool, different process, someone/something out of place, consider the changes during investigation.