In scaffolding and construction, identifying hazards before they result in injury is an important part of maintaining a strong safety culture.
A near miss is an event that causes no injury or damage but had the potential to do so. In scaffolding, this could include a dropped fitting, an unsecured board, unsafe access or an issue with edge protection.
The latest HSE statistics continue to demonstrate the risks facing our industry, with falls from height remaining the leading cause of fatal workplace accidents.
Near misses therefore shouldn’t be viewed as occasions where “nothing happened”. They provide an opportunity to identify unsafe conditions, understand what went wrong and take action before a similar event has more serious consequences.
At Crossway, we encourage our workforce to report accidents, incidents, hazards and near misses. Reports can be reviewed to identify trends, implement corrective actions, provide toolbox talks and share lessons learned across our projects.
Importantly, a high level of near-miss reporting doesn’t necessarily indicate poor safety performance. It can demonstrate that employees feel confident speaking up and that potential risks are being identified.
Reporting gives us the opportunity to learn today and prevent tomorrow’s accidents.