What is a near miss? Webster defines it as A result that is nearly, but not quite, successful. What does this mean to industry? It simply means that a serious incident almost occurred. Someone trips over a pallet, but doesn’t fall. A cutting board slips on the counter, but no one was cut.

Statistics tell us that for every 300 near misses, there is one serious incident. So, by reducing the number of near misses, you can reduce the number of incidents that occur.

• Unsafe acts, such as improper lifting; not securing a cutting board; not using proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), etc.
• Unsafe conditions such as: poorly maintained equipment, grease on floors, or trash and boxes that have been left in hallways, etc.
• Hurrying and taking risks to get a project done faster.

• Once a near miss occurs, report it immediately to your supervisor. The potential for such incidents exists all over the workplace, so all employees - not just supervisors – must help to identify them.
• If the near miss is the result of an unsafe condition, don’t continue to work under that condition. Once the problem has been corrected, your supervisor will give the okay to proceed.
• If the incident is the result of an unsafe act, be certain that everyone involved has been alerted to their actions before they continue with the job.

Letting a near miss go unreported provides an opportunity for a serious incident to occur. Correcting these actions or conditions will enhance the safety on your jobsite and provide a better working environment for everyone involved. Don’t let yourself or co-workers become statistics – report ALL near misses to your supervisor.