Close calls or near misses are very common in the workplace. They are incidents that don’t cause an injury or property damage only because there was nothing in the way to be damaged, or no one close enough to be injured.
Why talk about accidents that didn’t happen? The sequence of events that leads to an accident is like a series of errors that fall onto one another like dominoes. The close-call incident is simply a sequence of events with one of the dominoes missing. Close-call incidents alert us to the fact that something is seriously wrong. They allow us the opportunity to investigate and correct a situation before the same thing happens again and causes an injury or death. Experience has proven that if the causes of accidents are not removed, the potential for an accident will occur again and again. Unfortunately, a typical story told after many accidents is, “Yeah, that happened to Jim as well — just last week!”
Why are close-call incidents not reported? Typical reasons include fear of reprimand or repercussions, red tape, not being aware of the importance of reporting for controlling future accidents, embarrassment, fear of spoiling of a safety or production record, and lack of feedback when similar incidents were reported. Controlling close-call incidents is the secret to reducing the frequency of accidents. One survey of 300 companies discovered that for every 600 close-call incidents, the companies experienced 30 cases of property damage, 10 minor accidents, and 1 very serious accident.
Reporting close-call incidents is a very valuable tool that helps us all to manage an effective safety program. But, the vital part is to apply corrective action immediately. The only way this can be done is if a close call is reported immediately after it happens. Then, we can learn as much as possible—as soon as possible.
A wise man once said: “A fool is not a man who makes no mistakes — we all do that. The fool is the man who refuses to learn from them.”
(The purpose of this article is to promote personal safety — on and off the job. It is not to be construed as Postal Service policy.)
— Safety and Environmental Performance Management,
Employee Resource Management, 5-10-07
