A near miss is a warning you get for free. Here is how to build a reporting culture, investigate the root cause, and prevent the serious incident that would have followed.
Keeping employees safe is one of the most important parts of a manager or supervisor's job. Near misses and close calls are the warnings you get for free - the incidents that could have been serious but were not. Handled well, they are one of the most valuable safety signals a company has. Here are practical solutions for dealing with them and preventing what comes next.
Know the numbers
According to the Association of Workers' Compensation Boards of Canada, there were over 240,000 accepted lost-time claims for work-related injuries or illnesses in 2020. Accidents happen, but many of those incidents could have been prevented if the near misses and close calls before them had been properly addressed.
Recognize and report
The first step is to encourage your employees to report near misses and close calls. You cannot fix what you do not know about. Build an open, positive reporting culture where workers feel comfortable raising potential hazards, so issues are addressed before they escalate into serious accidents.
Analyze and investigate
When it comes to near misses, knowledge is the advantage. Conduct thorough investigations to identify the root causes of these incidents. Understanding what went wrong is what lets you prevent a similar occurrence in the future.
Train your workforce
A well-trained workforce is a safer one. Conduct training sessions regularly so employees stay current on safety procedures, and use real-life examples to make the material relatable and memorable.
Implement preventive measures
Once you have identified a hazard, take action to mitigate it. That can mean updating policies, improving equipment, or redesigning a work process. After a close call involving a forklift, for example, one Alberta warehouse installed pedestrian barriers to separate workers from vehicle traffic - a permanent fix prompted by a single near miss.
On-Track Safety helps companies build near-miss reporting systems and investigation processes tailored to their operations. Contact us to put a practical plan in place.