Near-Miss Reporting
A near miss is an unplanned event that almost caused harm but didn't. Reporting near misses is one of the highest-leverage habits a safety program can build — it lets you fix risk before anyone gets hurt.
Why Near Misses Matter
Most serious incidents are preceded by smaller close calls. If those go unreported, the underlying hazard stays in place until it eventually hits someone. A strong near-miss stream turns invisible risk into fixable data.
What Makes a Good Near-Miss Report
Information to Capture
- What almost happened — short description
- Where and when it occurred
- Who saw it or was nearby
- What prevented it from escalating
- Conditions that made it possible
- Likely hazard if ignored — what could go wrong next time
- Suggested fix — one-line action
Encourage honesty
- Frame it as learning, not blame
- Make reporting take under a minute
- Thank people who report
- Show what changed because of reports
- Never punish the messenger
Pair With Routine Checks
Near misses often surface during inspections. Use these checklists to catch hazards early:
Set a Weekly Near-Miss Review
Pick one day a week to read the last week of near misses as a team and action the top one. That single routine is what turns close calls into prevention.