Aug 7, 2025

In any fast-paced work environment, it’s tempting to shrug off a near miss and move on. No one was hurt. Nothing was damaged. Why make a big deal of it?

Because the next time, someone might not be so lucky.

A near miss is a gift—a warning without the consequence. It offers a chance to fix a problem before it turns into a serious incident. But that only happens when it gets reported, reviewed, and addressed.

What Is a Near Miss, Really?

A near miss is any unplanned event that could have caused harm or damage—but didn’t. Examples include:

  • A pallet almost falling from a forklift

  • A vehicle backing incident narrowly avoided

  • A slip on a wet floor where no one was injured

These moments often go unnoticed or unreported because there’s no immediate fallout. But that’s exactly what makes them dangerous—they’re easy to ignore.

Why Reporting Matters

1. Near misses are leading indicators.
They help identify hazards and weak points in procedures before injuries or losses occur.

2. They drive preventative action.
You can’t fix what you don’t know. Near-miss data helps safety teams correct conditions, update training, or redesign workflows.

3. They build a culture of transparency.
When employees see that leadership takes near-miss reports seriously—and responds constructively—it encourages ongoing communication and shared ownership of safety.

Overcoming the “No Harm, No Foul” Mentality

Employees may hesitate to report close calls due to fear of blame or simply thinking it’s not worth the paperwork. That’s why leadership must emphasize that near misses are not about fault—they’re about learning.

Tips to encourage reporting:

  • Make it fast and easy (use mobile apps or simple forms)

  • Celebrate reports as proactive wins, not complaints

  • Share what changes as a result—so teams see the value

Every serious incident was a near miss—until it wasn’t. Building a strong safety culture means treating close calls as the critical insight they are. If something almost happened, that’s the moment to act—not after the fact.

Report. Review. Prevent. That’s how near misses become opportunities—not headlines.