Safety Tip of the Week – Close Calls / Near Misses

Close Calls/Near Misses

A close call, near miss, or accident without injury is easy to shrug off and forget. But there is a danger in brushing off accidents that don’t hurt, harm, or damage.

Learn from close calls/near misses:

In order to learn from close calls, the incidents must be reported and investigated.

• Employees need to understand that the purpose of studying near misses is not to punish them or assign blame; it is to improve workplace safety and reduce injuries.

• Reporting close calls leads to improvements in work areas and job procedures while allowing the correction of unsafe conditions before an injury occurs.

• Failing to report even a small incident allows hazards to escalate into more serious situations.

When a close call happens, it should immediately send up a red warning flag that something was wrong, unplanned, unexpected, and could happen again. The next time it happens, it could result in serious damage, injury, or death.

Recognizing unsafe acts:

Statistics tell us that most injuries are caused by unsafe acts, but most employees say they don’t commit unsafe acts. This discrepancy shows that more attention needs to be placed on recognizing unsafe acts before an injury takes place.

• Being in a hurry or becoming angry tempts you to commit unsafe acts. Don’t succumb to temptation; stay focused on your safety commitment.

• Don’t let unsafe acts slip into your work routine.

  o Take a moment to consider the safety of every action you take and avoid be coming complacent about the hazards of your work area.

• If unsafe conditions are discovered, correct or report the situation right away.

  o Don’t allow a poor attitude to place other workers at risk.

• Remember that reporting close calls and near miss incidents can improve your work facilities and job procedures, which helps create a safer, more productive workplace for everyone. But remember; it won’t work without your participation.

  Be alert…Don’t get hurt!!