Inspection
Work Planning

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Near Miss

An unplanned event that did not result in injury, damage or loss but had the potential to do so.

Definition

A Near Miss is an unplanned event or unsafe condition that did not result in injury, illness, environmental impact, equipment damage or business loss but had the potential to cause such consequences under slightly different circumstances. Near Miss reporting supports proactive risk management by identifying hazards before they result in incidents.

Why It Matters

Near Miss reporting helps organizations identify hazards and prevent future incidents before actual losses occur.

In Practice

Effective Near Miss reporting programs encourage timely reporting, investigation and corrective action to improve safety performance and reduce the likelihood of future incidents.

Common Misuse

A Near Miss involves no actual loss or injury, whereas an incident results in measurable consequences such as injury, damage or environmental release.

Term Details
Synonyms:
Near Miss; Near Miss Event; Unsafe Condition; Close Call
Classification:
Process Safety
Concept
Basic
Applications

Safety Management; Risk Management; Process Safety.

Where It's Used

Manufacturing.; Oil and gas.; Petrochemical.; Construction.; Utilities.

References

ISO 45001; CCPS Process Safety Metrics

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