Next up for SAFEtember 2020, HSSE Manager Dave Hill talks through ‘Near Misses and Reporting’. Near misses, close calls or narrow escapes – whatever you may call them – It is important to reflect on and report any that you have during your work, as this will enable the company to take the appropriate action to prevent potential accidents from occurring in the future. There are three stages to this:
Unsafe Condition
This is a condition or situation which, if not correctly dealt with, could potentially result in an accident. This could be anything from an overloaded electrical socket to a faulty rung on a ladder.
Unsafe act
This is something a person does which could lead to an accident, which could involve removing safety devices and guards or using any tools or equipment without the correct authority, or that are faulty.
Near Miss
Near misses are unplanned events that did not result in any injury, illness or damage, but could easily have done so – with only good fortune preventing the near-miss from becoming an accident. While it’s not ideal to get to this point – we’d hope to eliminate an unsafe condition or act prior to this happening – it is essential to report it.
Reporting of these near misses is important as this enables action to be taken in order to prevent any future injury or damage. Furthermore, it is actually a legal requirement As per the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations, all employees must report any dangerous situations or shortcomings in health and safety arrangements.
For more information on near misses and reporting, you can view Dave Hill’s SAFEtember presentation above.
