Create a near-miss reporting culture

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.”

It’s important to report near misses because they can bring safety issues to light. Once informed, employers should address and correct the hazard to prevent a future incident.

The Texas Department of Insurance’s Division of Workers’ Compensation offers five steps employers can take to encourage effective near-miss reporting:
1. Promote reporting of near misses. Employees need to know that they won’t be retaliated against for reporting a near miss. Establish clear guidelines on how to report incidents, including who the employee should tell.
2. Take all reports seriously. Conduct a full investigation of the incident to gain an understanding of the root causes, TDI says. Look for underlying issues that may be contributing.
3. Track all reported near-miss incidents. Look for patterns or trends. These can indicate a larger problem. Use the analysis to identify areas for improvement.
4. Fix it. Address the problems, fix them and, if necessary, train workers on the problems. Other considerations: update safety procedures and/or make equipment changes.
5. Make it a learning opportunity. Share near-miss reports and findings with employees, as well as what corrective actions were taken. Lead a discussion on the causes and how employees can avoid similar incidents.