What is a near-miss and why is it important to report?

• A. A completed maintenance task with no consequences.
• B. An incident with potential for harm that did not result in injury; reporting captures improvement opportunities.
• C. An event where injury occurred.
• D. A minor administrative error with no safety implications.

Answer: (B)

Near-misses are incidents with the potential to cause harm that do not result in injury or damage this time. They’re warning signs that a hazard exists and could have caused harm if circumstances were slightly different. Reporting them matters because it turns a near-miss into a learning opportunity. When you report, safety teams can investigate to uncover root causes, gaps in controls, or weak procedures, and then implement corrective actions or changes to prevent a similar event from happening again. This helps improve risk assessment, strengthen preventive measures, and foster a proactive safety culture in maintenance operations. It’s distinct from events where injury occurs, which require different handling; likewise, trivial issues with no safety impact don’t reveal actionable hazards. Near-misses, when reported, highlight where the system could fail and drive real improvements.