"NEAR MISS" ACCIDENTS

A near miss is an event or hazard that does not result in injury, illness or damage, but had the potential to do so. Near misses must be reported, regardless of how severe, in order to ensure that the appropriate steps are taken to prevent a recurrence in which serious injury or loss may occur.

Near misses happen in the construction industry on a regular basis. We can recognize near misses, and use them as a tool to change processes and prevent future incidents and serious injuries from happening. With proper reporting and investigation, these incidents should never reoccur.

Examples of Near Misses

• A worker not wearing the proper PPE for the job

• A worker not following proper procedures or safe work practices

• A person slips on ice, but does not fall or hurt themselves

• Tool malfunctions or misuse

• A tool that is dropped and lands beside another person

• A missing guard rail and a person nearly slips into the opening

• Nearly hitting underground utilities or lines

• Using the top of the step ladder as a step

• Equipment nearly contacting overhead power lines

Focusing on the lowest level, the proactive process provides an opportunity to: make changes to policy, procedure, practice, job task, and habit; implement a new tool or PPE; and/or engineer a solution. Investigations of serious accidents often reveal earlier incidents of a similar nature that were dismissed.