SAFETY CORNER


Learn From Near Misses W


By Michael J. Heffernan, Executive Vice President, Alliant Insurance Services, Inc.


hen you’re driving the speed limit down the highway and another


car pulls out in front of you, it’s necessary to hit the brakes or execute a quick maneuver to avoid an accident. Chances are you’ll make a mental note to be more alert from that point on. Close calls or near accidents on


the job should also be considered lessons in safety. A near accident


is an indication something is wrong. It’s a warning that a machine isn’t operating correctly, materials aren’t stacked properly, or someone has done something unsafe.


Warning Signs If you notice a warning light on the dashboard of your


vehicle, you know immediately not to ignore it. Unfor- tunately, unsafe actions on the job aren’t always as easily detected and employees may not realize they should always report near misses – no matter how trivial they may seem. Below are some typical accidents that could have been avoided if their “warnings” had not been ignored.


 A job-site employee stumbles over a two-by-four lying on the ground, fracturing an ankle.


 Instead of using a ladder, an employee puts a box on top of a drum, loses balance and tumbles to the ground.


 A machine operator is injured when a hi-lo strikes the machine being operated.


Employees sometimes decide if nobody gets hurt and


there is no damage, then it’s not really an accident, but this is a part of the problem. All near misses need to be reported and discussed with a supervisor. Although the above examples may not have resulted in a serious outcome, these incidents could have serious consequences in the future.


Keep Safety in Mind Unfortunately, near accidents are often forgotten without


any benefits resulting from the experience and are often dismissed as lucky breaks. How can you turn a close call into a contribution to safety?


 Establish a simple near miss reporting system without blame or repercussions and encourage employees to


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report all near misses as soon as possible.


 Give employees as many reporting options as possible and make it as simple as possible to report near misses via phone call, text or email.


 Take all reported incidents seriously no matter how minor they may seem.


 Review, analyze and discuss all near misses weekly to identify the causes of the incidents.


 Correct any dangerous situations and remove the hazard that caused the near accident.


 Train employees on how to recognize potentially dangerous situations and provide incentives to encourage consistent reporting.


Safety awareness is always important. Learn from near


misses. Tey can serve as a warning and highlight areas or situations where safety practices need to be improved. 


For more information, contact Michael Heffernan at (408) 352-6701 or mheffernan@alliant.com.


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