I was reading an article some days ago about near misses or close calls. According to the National Safety Council, 75% of all accidents are preceded by one or more close calls. The difference between a close call and an accident might be a fraction of an inch or a slip second of time. Either way, a close call is a call to action.
There are few “real” accidents that come completely out of nowhere, like a meteor falling out of the sky; most accidents can be predicted and prevented. Close calls are predictors; they are warnings that safety-wise something is wrong and requires immediate attention or other wise the near miss this time could be an accident the next time. It means a worker was lucky not to have had an accident. It doesn’t mean that the next person will be that lucky if a hazard or process is not taken care of.
Most close calls result from a combination of factors. Human error is often one of the causes but hazards often play a role as well such as:
- Lack of warning signs
- Poor lighting
- Broken or miss functioning equipment
- Poor ventilation
- Lack of effective safety rules or
- An error in the process
Whatever factors are involved in close calls they are preventable.
We have to move quickly and seize the opportunity to eliminate the hazard that causes the close call or near miss.
Let your supervisor know about these incidents immediately. Investigate what happened, how it happened, and what the causes were with those involved as well as anyone who witnessed it. Discuss it and determine how to prevent it from happening again. Take action to repair or replace defective equipment, fix the environment such as add lighting, ventilation, or place warning signs. You don’t want to pay a larger price later when someone else is hurt.
Think Safety First!