Near Miss Programs

What Is a Near Miss Program A Near Miss Program can be defined as an administrative tool to help reduce accidents and injuries in the workplace.

What Is A Near Miss? A Near Miss is an opportunity to improve safety, health and environmental concerns of an operation based on a condition or an incident with potential for more serious consequences. Note: Security can also be a potential area of concern.

Other Definitions/Conditions Unsafe behavior Minor accidents/injuries that had potential to be more serious Events where injury could have occurred but did not Events where property damage results Events where a safety barrier is challenged

Any unsafe condition Events where potential environmental damage could result

Objectives of a Near Miss Program Identify risks and prevent future accidents Fix problems as they are identified Make everyone an advocate of safety Increase safety awareness

Three Workplace Disciplines A near miss program should address three disciplines in the workplace. Environmental Safety Health

Primary Vehicle The primary vehicle used to accomplish this program is the Near Miss Report. In concept, the Near Miss Report is used to learn from situations where an accident “almost” happened so that real injuries can be prevented.

Catalyst To Prevention The Near Miss Report is the starting point to diminish the probability of an “almost” accident turning into a real one.

Indicators Research and investigation of major accidents adds new data and shows that for every major accident there are several preceding minor accidents with limited impact and near miss incidents with little or no significant damage.

Indicators, cont. Therefore, it has been recognized that by focusing on minor incidents it is possible to reduce the probability of having major accidents.

Fatalities Lost Time Cases Recordables Near Miss Report Unsafe Behaviors/Unsafe Acts The “Safety Triangle”

Eight Steps There are eight steps to an effective near miss program. To get the full benefit from a near miss program, it is important to follow these steps and complete them to the fullest extent.

Step 1 Identification The individual must recognize an incident or condition as a “near miss.” There must be a clear definition of what a near miss is within your organization.

Step 2 Disclosure Once a near miss is identified, it must be disclosed, preferably in writing. Having a simple procedure for reporting will encourage this process. Having easy access to forms is a key component to encouraging participation.

Step 3 Prioritize Once an incident has been reported it must be prioritized. This very critical step determines the path forward as to what level of attention is needed. This should be reviewed by management to help determine the risk.

Step 4 Distribution Distribute the near miss information to the people that can help properly analyze the cause of the incident. Ask for their immediate feed back.

Step 5 Identification of Causes Both direct and root-causes should be determined. It could be a behavior based or training based cause or other. Look at all possible aspects of causes.

Step 6 Solution Identification A solution for each identified cause should be determined.

Step 7 Dissemination Once solutions are identified, the information should be communicated to the people who will execute the solution.

Step 8 Resolution (Tracking) Once solutions are identified and the implementers are informed, it is important to track all suggested changes to ensure that they are properly executed.

Options Of Implementation There are several ways to ensure your near miss program is executed and maintained. Near Miss Management Team – Comprised of a diverse team of employees, managers, supervisors and workers.

Options, cont. Safety Committee – Your safety committee can implement and manage your near miss program. Single Person – You can designate a single person responsible to manage the program

Training There are two type of training associated with a near miss program. Administrative – for administrators Employee

Administrative Training For the administrators, subjects should include the guidelines at which the program will function e.g., prioritizing, tracking and responsibilities. It is suggested that your near miss program be outlined on paper.

Employee Training The objectives of employee training are focused on actual use of the system. This type of training must include, but not limited to the following:

Employee Training, cont. What are near misses Why are near misses important and how they can help What is the role of each person in near miss reporting How will near misses be managed and by who What is the near miss process (eight steps) How do you report a near miss How would you prioritize a near miss Where to find near miss reporting forms

Accident Potential Near misses are the best leading indicators of accident potential. By having a comprehensive near miss system, where near misses are not only recognized but also resolved properly, a facility can expect to both reduce the number of accidents and improve the quality and productivity of its operations.

A well-designed and managed near miss program is one of the best proactive protection systems you can have in your facility. It will accomplish the following:

Empowers employees Enables observation and resolution of issues in a timely manner Reflects up-to-date information Brings out new sources of problems to managements attention Provides an invisible control over all operations at every single stage of a plants life

Employee Recriminations Employees may be reluctant to report near misses due to potential recriminations that could result. Such as:

Peer pressure Disciplinary action Unintended disciplinary action. For example, upon incident investigation, additional job tasks or wearing cumbersome PPE may be perceived as punishment for reporting

Human Nature and Near Miss Reporting Resistance to reporting near misses can occur for a number of reasons: People do not want to be blamed for problems Perception that you are “rocking the boat” or a trouble maker Concern that a near miss will result in more work

Ways To Address Negatives Stay Positive – View near miss reports as opportunities to prevent accidents rather than to place blame. Reward employees with incentives Option to remain anonymously Involve employees in the investigation

A Word Of Caution Failure of management to remain committed to near miss programs can in turn decrease employee reporting and can result in employees thinking that the near miss program is a “flavor of the month.”

Final Tips A near miss in the workplace is a warning or indication that something is wrong Close calls or near misses on the job should be corrected immediately Constant safety awareness on everyone’s part is the most important factor in accident prevention

Final Tips, cont. If you witness or are involved with a near miss incident, stop and correct the problem or notify the appropriate people immediately Do not just shrug-off a near miss. Stop what you are doing and report it. Don’t have the attitude that “That’s the way we have always done it.”

Near Hit Reporting A Near Hit Report is an internal administrative form used by Supervision to document the first mention of an injury by an associate. It should be used the first time an associate mentions that he/she is hurting. Even if it is mentioned to you in casual conversation. This is different from a first report of injury.

Purpose The Near Hit form is used to protect the company from liability if in the future the associate claims workers compensation or brings a law suit against the company.

Importance The Near Hit form should be filled out with accurate information and as much possible and given to Mike McQueen. A follow up Email with additional or more complete information if necessary should be sent to Mike McQueen e.g., I slipped down over the weekend and my back hurts ?????

Ask Questions Don’t take the complaint at face value. Ask the associate questions concerning the injury. Act as a detective – Are you sure you hurt yourself at work? Have you ever injured this part of your body before? You may be surprised and what you can learn with a few simple questions.

Cost The average workers compensation claims runs an eight year average. That means if it cost $1000.00 when it happens, it will eventually cost the company $8000.00

Possible Motivations Lay off Desire not to work Termination due to behavior Doesn’t like the particular job Has a personal agenda Do not have medical insurance Just wants time off Actual pain or injury

How You Can Help If an Associate complains of pain or a possible injury and you determine that medical attention is not necessary at this time, it is in YOUR best interest: Move (rotate) the associate Ask Management to perform an assessment