A near miss is an unplanned event that did not cause injury, illness or damage, but easily could have. Workplace safety is a top priority for any business, and by reporting every injury, incident and near miss immediately you help create a safer work environment for everyone. This protects employees, and it helps avoid costly fines and lawsuits. In this post we explain what a near miss is, give examples, show how near misses relate to notifiable incidents and cover how to report them well.
Workplace injuries range from minor cuts and bruises to more serious accidents such as slips, trips and falls. Regardless of the severity, all workplace injuries should be reported immediately. This allows a thorough investigation to be carried out and any necessary corrective actions to be taken. It also provides a record of the incident that can be used for future reference.
What is a near miss?
Neither the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld) nor the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld) defines “near miss”. In everyday use it means an event where nobody was hurt and nothing was damaged, but the circumstances meant someone could have been. The approved How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks Code of Practice 2021 treats near misses as useful information: it suggests asking workers about near misses that have not been reported when you look for hazards, and analysing your records of incidents and near misses. The First Aid in the Workplace Code of Practice 2021 says the same records help you decide your first aid needs.
Near miss examples
- A tool or piece of material falls from a height and lands where someone was standing a moment earlier.
- Mobile plant or a forklift nearly hits a pedestrian.
- A worker trips on a cable or hose but catches themselves before falling.
- A ladder slips, but the worker grabs hold and is not hurt.
- A chemical container leaks and is noticed before anyone is exposed.
- A damaged lead or a missing machine guard is found just before use.
- A crane, truck tray or excavator comes close to an overhead power line.
- A trench wall slumps when nobody is in the trench.
Hazard, near miss, incident: what is the difference?
| Term | What it means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Hazard | Something with the potential to cause harm. Nothing has happened yet. | A cable across a walkway |
| Near miss | An event that could have caused harm but did not. | A worker trips on the cable but does not fall |
| Incident or injury | An event that did cause injury, illness or damage. | A worker falls and breaks a wrist |
| Notifiable incident | A death, serious injury or illness, or dangerous incident, as defined in the WHS Act. The regulator must be told. | A serious burn needing immediate treatment |
Report a hazard before it becomes a near miss with our free hazard report form, and see how to identify hazards in the workplace.
How near misses relate to notifiable incidents
“Near miss” is not a legal category, so a near miss is not automatically notifiable. But some near misses are. A dangerous incident is a notifiable incident, and it covers an incident in relation to a workplace that exposes a worker or any other person to a serious risk to health or safety from an immediate or imminent exposure to something like an uncontrolled escape of a substance, an uncontrolled explosion or fire, electric shock, the fall or release from a height of any plant, substance or thing, or the collapse of a structure or an excavation (section 37 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld)). Nobody needs to be injured for an incident to be a dangerous incident.
So a steel bracket that falls from a scaffold onto a walkway people were using, or a trench that collapses with no one inside but people working close by, may need to be notified even though nobody was hurt. If a near miss could be a notifiable incident:
- The PCBU must make sure the regulator is notified immediately, by the fastest possible means (section 38).
- The person with management or control of the workplace must, so far as is reasonably practicable, leave the site undisturbed until an inspector arrives or directs otherwise (section 39).
- The PCBU must keep a record of the incident for at least 5 years (section 38(7)).
If you are unsure, read our guide to notifiable incidents in Queensland or ask the regulator. Many near misses are not notifiable, but they should still be reported internally.
Why report a near miss?
Near misses are important to report because they help prevent future accidents. By investigating the cause of a near miss, businesses can put measures in place to stop it happening again. This protects employees and helps avoid costly fines and lawsuits. A near miss can also show that a control is not working: the WHS Regulation requires control measures to be reviewed and, as necessary, revised when they do not control the risk, or when a new hazard is identified (section 38(2) of the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld)). Officers must also exercise due diligence, which includes taking reasonable steps to ensure the business has appropriate processes for receiving and considering information about incidents, hazards and risks and responding in a timely way (section 27(5)(d) of the WHS Act). If you witness or are involved in a near miss, report it to your employer immediately. Your safety and the safety of your co-workers could depend on it.
Why report a minor injury?
Minor injuries may seem not worth reporting, but they are. By reporting all workplace injuries, no matter how minor, businesses can carry out investigations and take any necessary corrective actions. This helps create a safer work environment for everyone.
Also, a cut can turn into an infection and a minor pain can turn into a muscle injury. If you fail to report the injury when it occurs, it can be harder to show later that it happened at work if you need to make a workers’ compensation claim. A workers’ compensation application is valid only if it is lodged within 6 months after the entitlement arises, although the insurer can waive this in some cases (section 131 of the Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation Act 2003 (Qld)).
What to do if you are injured at work
If you have been injured at work, seek medical attention immediately. Once you have been seen by a doctor, report the incident to your employer. They will need to know the details of what happened in order to carry out an investigation and take any necessary action.
Workplace injuries are not always caused by accidents. Sometimes they are the result of something more serious such as workplace violence or harassment. If you have been the victim of workplace violence or harassment, report this to your employer immediately. They will need to take action to protect you and other employees from further harm.
How to report workplace injuries, incidents or near misses
When reporting, be as detailed as possible. Include the date and time, what happened, where it happened and who was involved. If there are any witnesses, include their names and contact details. For a near miss, also note what could have happened and what might stop it happening again. Report it to a manager or supervisor as soon as possible.
Our free incident report form is a simple way to capture these details so everyone reports the same way. For the business side, the Incident Management Policy & Procedure Template helps you set up how incidents are reported, investigated and followed up.
What happens after a report
- Thank the person who reported. If reports are met with blame, people stop making them.
- Make the area safe, and look after anyone who is hurt.
- Find the cause and fix it, then check the related risk assessment or SWMS still matches the job.
- Share what was learned in your next toolbox talk, and keep the report on file.
Reporting injuries, incidents and near misses is essential for creating a safer work environment. By doing so, you help prevent future accidents and keep your workers safe. See also why you must report and record all workplace injuries and first aid in the workplace. If you are injured, report it immediately.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Check the current law or talk to Workplace Health and Safety Queensland for your situation.
This Post Is Part Of A Series: 101 Toolbox Topic Ideas For The Construction Industry
Do you struggle to come up with toolbox talk ideas each week to discuss with your workers? Fear no more, Work Safety QLD is here to the rescue with 101 Free Toolbox Talk Ideas for the Construction Industry.
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