Near Misses

What’s a near miss? OSHA defines it 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.”

A roofing contractor forgoes fall protection because he finds it uncomfortable. Later that day, he slips and nearly falls off the roof of the two-story house he is working on.

An employee may recount a story of a “close call” at work. He or she also may describe the incident as a “near collision” or “narrow escape.” All these terms refer to a near miss.

Observing and abating hazards before someone gets hurt is vital to ensuring worker safety, and a near-miss program can help. Learn what near misses are, how they work, and how to collect reports on them.

Are near misses leading or lagging indicators?

While running up a flight of stairs on an icy morning, merging from one lane to another during rush hour or sliding centimeters past an open file cabinet at the office, every day we narrowly avoid incidents that could result in a serious injury. When these incidents take place on the job, it can serve as a warning that a serious incident is waiting to happen.