Don’t Miss the Near-Misses Stats and Facts

FACTS

1. Common Causes of Near Misses

• • Unsafe conditions
  • Unsafe work practices
  • Unsafe procedures
  • Human error
  • Lack of training
  • Lack of safety awareness
  • Unsafe tools
  • Employees that cut corners
  • Lack of communication

2. Most accidents can be predicted by near misses.
3. The difference between a near miss and a serious injury might be a fraction of an inch or a split second of time.
4. Near misses are a red flag–a warning that something is very wrong and requires immediate attention.
5. While many workplace injuries are only minor and often go unreported, often times the injuries are so severe that they result in permanent mental or physical disabilities that are detrimental to the employee’s occupational and personal life.

STATS

• According to the National Safety Council, 75 percent of all accidents are preceded by one or more near misses.
• According to statistics, about 3 billion “close calls” or “near misses” occur annually in United States workplaces.
• Statistics also show that for every 300 near misses, 29 minor injuries occur, along with one injury serious enough to keep the injured person out of work.
• Each year, an estimated two million women and men die as a result of occupational accidents and work-related diseases. Across the globe, there are some 270 million occupational accidents and 160 million work-related diseases each year.