What Is A Near Miss in Safety?
- safewise364
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
By Sara Crawford.
Last week, during some site reviews, I found myself getting asked about what exactly a near miss is and when it's best to report it. In my opinion, near misses are valuable opportunities to identify and address underlying issues before they cause harm.
So, what is a near miss?
A near miss is simply an incident that happens but doesn’t result in any injury, illness, or damage. Sometimes, it’s described as that racing heartbeat, a sudden uneasy feeling in the stomach, or even some colourful language coming out unexpectedly. While it didn’t cause damage, injury or negative health effects this time, it has the very real potential to do so.
The reality is, many injuries happen because hazards, or near misses in safety, go unreported. This can even sometimes be over a long, extended period of time. But unfortunately, one day, the luck will run out, and the near miss turns into an actual notifiable incident. If only those hazards or near misses had been reported sooner, the right people could have had the chance to step in, control the situation, and prevent any injuries from happening.
Why don’t near misses in safety get reported?
Both psychological safety and the system set up for reporting near misses play a big role in whether near misses in safety get reported or not.
Common psychological concerns workers face when deciding to report a near miss or not:
Fear of blame – workers aren’t as likely to report an issue or near miss if they think they’ll be blamed for it, which could feel like a threat to their job security
Poor role modelling – if a large part of the team or the higher-ups consistently stay quiet about near misses, workers are more likely to follow this lead and stay quiet as well
Fear of embarrassment – workers could feel that admitting they made a mistake will make them look incompetent, which can be psychologically taxing and create anxiety
Strict hierarchies – when a workplace has a strict hierarchical culture, reporting safety concerns or near misses can feel like challenging the authority, which can make workers feel uncomfortable and worry for their job security
Common reporting system issues workers face when deciding whether to report a near miss or not:
Overly complicated processes – if reporting a near miss is overly complicated, workers are less likely to find the time needed to make a report and will instead let it fall to the wayside
Not recognising near misses – workers may not see every near miss as being a near miss, or may assume they don’t need to report it if they ‘correct’ the issue themselves
Lack of value in reporting – if workers don’t understand why it’s important to report near misses in safety, they’re unlikely to go out of their way to do so
How to encourage workers to report near misses?
The answer to how to increase reporting near misses isn’t always easy. And we don’t want to receive reports for the sake of reports.
If your workplace has a blaming culture, for example, if there’s a focus on fault instead of fixes, you’ll need to address this at its root. Try to implement and nurture a learning culture instead; this can drastically improve your workplace health and safety practices and reporting of near misses.
It’s important for everyone to understand that reporting is actually a helpful tool that can reduce risks. When injuries happen, proper reporting ensures that the injured receive the care and support they need, the right procedures are followed, and we can prevent similar incidents from happening again. This way, we all contribute to a safer and more supportive environment.
Steps to improve reporting near misses in safety
Introduce your team to the differences between an incident vs accident, as well as near misses.
Do they understand the difference between a hazard, risk, and control? Providing training on accident management and hazard risk will help clarify these concepts and explain the procedures your company has in place.
Offering training on both topics gives your team a comprehensive, 360-degree understanding of how they are interconnected and part of one unified process.
Discuss these reports during team meetings, daily pre-starts, or weekly toolbox talks. For example, reassure the team that the injured member is getting the proper care and support, that the hazard has been effectively managed to prevent future injuries, and that continuous measures are in place and being maintained to ensure a safe workplace.
Although it might seem straightforward, it's important to give the team the space to report these events and encourage open discussion. And the culture at your workplace plays a big role in the likelihood of near misses getting reported consistently and correctly.
