Frequently Asked Questions

Near Miss: A near miss refers to a situation in which an unplanned event or circumstance occurs that could have led to an injury, damage, or loss, but fortunately, no harm or damage actually occurs. In other words, it's an event that narrowly avoids becoming an incident due to a fortunate turn of events, a slight change in circumstances, or a combination of factors that prevented the situation from escalating into an actual accident. Near misses are valuable indicators of potential hazards in a system and are often used to identify weaknesses in safety protocols, procedures, or equipment, allowing organizations to take proactive measures to prevent future incidents.

Incident: An incident,  is an event that results in harm, damage, injury, illness, or some form of loss. Unlike a near miss, an incident reaches the point where there are observable negative consequences. Incidents can range in severity from minor injuries or small equipment failures to major accidents causing significant harm, destruction, or even fatalities. Incidents generally require some level of corrective action, investigation, and analysis to understand their root causes and prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.

In summary, a near miss is a close call where an undesirable event was narrowly avoided, while an incident involves actual harm, damage, or loss that has occurred. Both near misses and incidents play crucial roles in understanding and improving safety within various contexts, such as workplaces, industries, and everyday activities.