A near miss: why hazardous situations must be reported

The load swayed next to the man, the box fell into an empty passage, the tool fell off, but did not hit anyone. It's easy to exhale and forget. However, this situation freely reveals a weak point before injury occurs.

Secure the area first

If risk persists, stop the action, alert people, and notify the person in charge. Do not leave a dropped object, spill, or damage “until convenient.” In case of injury or deterioration of health, they first call for help and act according to emergency procedures, and make a recording later.

Five facts for a useful message

1. When and where it happened - time, area, landmark.
2. What was performed immediately before the event.
3. What did you see or hear: movement, sound, position of objects.
4. Who or what might have been hurt and how close it was.
5. What temporary measures have already been taken: stopping, fencing, shutdown by a specialist.

Photos are not always useful

Take photographs only when permitted, safe and not disruptive to assistance. Do not enter a hazard zone merely to take a photograph. Do not photograph the injured person or documents containing personal data. An accurate sketch, time and description of object locations may be more useful than an attractive photograph.

How to understand that the message worked

• hazard temporarily isolated or eliminated;
• the message has been assigned a clear status or has been received by a specific person;
• the cause is determined, and not just the consequences are removed;
• the change is communicated to those facing the same risk;
• After fixing, it is verified that the problem does not recur.

“No one was hurt” is a good outcome, but a bad reason to not change anything.

If an event does result in an injury, do not try to decide for yourself whether it is considered work-related. Report it in a timely manner in the prescribed manner and retain the factual information for official review.