Near miss

An incident that could have caused a work accident but where no one was hurt — for example a tool falling right next to an employee, or a slip that almost ends in a fall. Near misses do not have to be reported to the authorities, but they are one of the most valuable tools for prevention. By recording and analysing them systematically, a company can remove risks before they cause a real accident. Patterns in near misses should feed into the workplace risk assessment.