Many safety activities are reactive and not proactive, and some organizations wait for losses
to occur before taking steps to prevent a recurrence. Near miss incidents often precede loss
producing events but may be overlooked as there was no harm (no injury, damage or loss).
An organization may not have a reporting culture where employees are encouraged to report
these close calls. Thus, many opportunities to prevent the incidents are lost. History has shown
repeatedly that most loss producing events (incidents), both serious and catastrophic, were
preceded by warnings or near miss incidents. Recognizing and reporting near miss incidents
can significantly improve worker safety and enhance an organization’s safety culture.