A near miss is an event that did not cause harm but had the potential to cause injury or ill health. That is the definition used by the Health and Safety Executive in its guidance HSG245. Examples include a pallet falling from racking into an empty aisle, or a reversing van stopping inches from a pedestrian. Reporting near misses lets you fix the cause before someone gets hurt.
Most workplaces record injuries. Far fewer record the events that nearly caused one, which means the cheapest safety lessons go unlearned. This guide explains what counts as a near miss, gives examples from different sectors, sets out when a near miss becomes legally reportable, and shows how to build a reporting system people will actually use.
What is a near miss?
A near miss is an unplanned event that could have injured someone or made them ill, but did not. HSE’s guide Investigating accidents and incidents (HSG245) defines it as “an event that, while not causing harm, has the potential to cause injury or ill health”.
The key word is event. Something actually happened: a load dropped, a vehicle swerved, a guard failed, a chemical splashed. The only reason nobody was hurt is timing, distance or luck. HSG245 makes the same point, noting that it is often pure luck that decides whether a situation turns into a near miss or an accident.
Near miss, accident, hazard or dangerous occurrence?
These terms get mixed up, and the difference matters because each one is handled differently. The table below uses the HSG245 and RIDDOR definitions.
| Term | What it means | Example | What you must do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hazard | Something with the potential to cause harm | A trailing cable across a walkway | Control it through risk assessment |
| Undesired circumstance | A set of conditions that could cause harm (HSG245) | A fire exit blocked by deliveries | Put it right and find out why it happened |
| Near miss | An event that could have caused harm but did not | Someone trips on the cable but catches themselves | Record and investigate (good practice) |
| Accident | An event that results in injury or ill health | Someone trips on the cable and breaks a wrist | Record, investigate, and report if RIDDOR applies |
| Dangerous occurrence | A specified near-miss event listed in RIDDOR | A crane or hoist load-bearing part fails | Report to the enforcing authority |
Source: HSE HSG245; HSE INDG453 Reporting accidents and incidents at work.
In short, a hazard is a condition, a near miss is an event, and an accident is an event with a victim. HSE groups near misses and undesired circumstances together as incidents.
Near miss examples by workplace
Near misses look different in every sector. These are typical of what gets reported once people know what to look for.
Warehouses and logistics
- A forklift reverses out of an aisle and stops just short of a pedestrian who was not using the walkway
- A box falls from the top level of racking into an empty aisle
- A driver pulls away from a loading bay while the forklift is still on the trailer
Construction
- A hammer falls from a scaffold lift and lands in an area that was supposed to be closed off
- An excavator bucket comes within touching distance of an overhead cable
- A worker steps onto a fragile roof panel that cracks but holds
Manufacturing
- A machine restarts while an operator is clearing a jam, because the isolation was not locked off
- A guard interlock is found taped over during a shift
- Hot metal splashes onto the floor where someone was standing a moment earlier
Offices, retail and care
- Someone slips on a wet floor with no sign out, but keeps their balance
- A resident’s hoist sling is found frayed just before a transfer
Do you have to report a near miss?
Most near misses do not have to be reported to HSE, but some do. RIDDOR requires employers to report dangerous occurrences, which HSE’s leaflet INDG453 describes as certain, specified near-miss events. There are 27 categories relevant to most workplaces, including:
- Collapse, overturning or failure of load-bearing parts of lifts and lifting equipment
- Plant or equipment coming into contact with overhead power lines
- Explosions or fires causing work to stop for more than 24 hours
- The unintentional release or escape of any substance that could cause personal injury
Our guide to RIDDOR reporting covers deadlines and how to submit a report.
Outside RIDDOR there is no specific legal duty to record every near miss. There are two duties that point the same way, though. Regulation 5 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 requires employers to monitor and review their preventive measures, and near-miss data is one of the best monitoring tools available. Regulation 14 requires employees to tell their employer about serious and immediate dangers and about shortcomings in the employer’s protection arrangements. A near-miss reporting system is the practical way to meet both.
Why near misses are worth reporting
HSG245 puts it plainly: investigating near misses is as useful as investigating accidents, and very much easier. Nobody is in hospital, witnesses are not shaken, the scene has not been cleared, and people talk more freely when no one is facing blame for an injury.
Near-miss reports also show you trends. One report of a forklift close call is an anecdote. Six reports from the same junction in a month tell you the traffic route needs redesigning. Without the reports, the first sign of the problem is the injury.
There is a cost argument too. HSG245 notes that for every £1 a business spends on insurance, it can be losing between £8 and £36 in uninsured costs from accidents. Fixing causes at the near-miss stage, before anyone is hurt, is how you avoid them.
What a near miss report should include
Keep the form short. If it takes ten minutes to complete, people will not bother. These fields cover what an investigator needs:
- Date, time and exact location (be specific: “Bay 4, aisle C”, not “warehouse”)
- What happened, in the reporter’s own words
- What could have happened, which helps you judge how serious it was
- Who was involved or nearby, including contractors and visitors
- Any immediate action taken, such as area cordoned off or equipment taken out of use
- Suggested cause or fix, because the person who saw it often knows the answer
- Reporter’s name, optional if you allow anonymous reports
Near misses do not belong in the statutory accident book, which is for injuries. Use a separate near-miss log or reporting system. Our guide to the accident book explains what does go in it.
How to build a near miss reporting culture
A reporting form on its own changes nothing. Low report numbers usually mean people do not see the point or are worried about the consequences, not that nothing is happening. These steps make the difference:
Make it fast
Offer more than one route: a paper card in the canteen, a QR code on a notice board, a quick word with a supervisor. The fewer steps, the more reports you get.
Take blame out of it
If the first person who reports a near miss ends up disciplined, nobody else will report one. Be clear in writing that honest reporting will not be punished. Reckless behaviour is a separate matter.
Close the loop
Tell people what changed because of their report. A notice saying “the pedestrian barrier at goods-in went up because two of you reported close calls” does more for reporting rates than any poster. Toolbox talks are a good place to share this; see our toolbox talks guide.
Investigate in proportion
Not every near miss needs a full investigation. Rate each one on its potential outcome. A dropped pen does not need a root cause analysis. A load that nearly fell on someone does. HSG245 gives a straightforward method for deciding the level of investigation.
Train the people who investigate
Supervisors who only ask “who did it?” find a person to blame and miss the cause. Training in root cause analysis and witness interviewing changes that. Our accident investigation course covers both, and the NEBOSH HSE Introduction to Incident Investigation adds a recognised qualification co-developed with HSE.
Look at behaviour as well as equipment
Many near misses come down to shortcuts that have become normal. A behavioural safety workshop helps managers spot at-risk behaviour and change it through observation and conversation rather than discipline.
Frequently asked questions
What is the HSE definition of a near miss?
HSE’s guidance HSG245 defines a near miss as an event that, while not causing harm, has the potential to cause injury or ill health. It groups near misses with undesired circumstances under the wider term incident.
What is an example of a near miss?
A forklift reversing out of an aisle and stopping just short of a pedestrian is a near miss. So is a box falling from high racking into an empty aisle, or a worker slipping on a wet floor and keeping their balance. In each case something happened that could have hurt someone.
Do near misses have to be reported to HSE?
Only if they are dangerous occurrences under RIDDOR. HSE describes these as specified near-miss events, such as the failure of load-bearing parts of lifting equipment or contact with overhead power lines. Other near misses do not need reporting to HSE but should be recorded internally.
Should near misses go in the accident book?
No. The accident book is for recording injuries. Near misses should go in a separate near-miss log or reporting system, so they can be reviewed and investigated without mixing them with personal injury records.
Can near miss reports be anonymous?
Yes, and allowing anonymous reports can raise reporting rates where trust is low. The drawback is that you cannot ask the reporter follow-up questions, so many employers offer anonymity as an option rather than the default.
Who should investigate a near miss?
Usually the supervisor or manager responsible for the area, with input from the people involved and a health and safety adviser for more serious events. HSG245 recommends that the depth of investigation matches the potential seriousness of what could have happened.
Where to learn more
- Accident Investigation and Reporting: one-day in-house course on investigating accidents and near misses
- NEBOSH HSE Introduction to Incident Investigation: one-day qualification for supervisors and managers
- RIDDOR reporting explained: what you must report and when
- The accident book: a UK employer’s guide
- Risk assessments: a UK guide
Talk to KeyOstas
We train supervisors and managers to investigate near misses and accidents properly, at your site, for up to 12 delegates. Your own reporting procedures can be built into the day.
Send an enquiry or call +44 (0)330 056 9534.