How many times have you brushed off a near miss? A slipped foot, a swinging load that almost clipped someone, or a crane movement that stopped just in time. No harm done, right?

But here's the truth: the difference between a near miss and a serious accident is often just a second—or a single inch.

One study found that out of every 330 similar incidents:

• 300 result in no injury
• 29 result in minor injuries
• 1 leads to a major injury

The problem? You never know which one is next.

Near Misses Are Not Harmless

Near misses are warnings, plain and simple. They’re the job site’s way of saying: “Something's wrong. Fix it before someone gets hurt.” Ignoring them is like walking past a frayed sling or a cracked shackle—eventually, it will fail, and someone will pay the price.

A Simple Example with Big Consequences

Imagine three people walk the same access board into a building:

1. The first slips but recovers—no load, nothing in hand.
2. The second slips and jumps off—again, no injury, but the risk increases.
3. The third person slips, carrying materials, and falls off. The load lands on them. A broken ankle. A job shut down. A preventable injury.

Two near misses. One injury. Then, and only then, someone fixes the cleat, cleans the board, or swaps it out.

What if we responded after the first slip?

Why We Shrug It Off

It’s easy to say, “Well, nothing happened,” or “I caught myself.” That mindset is complacency—comfort in familiarity, even when it’s unsafe. We normalize risk, and the close calls start to feel routine. But they’re not. They’re red flags.

If we treat near misses like learning moments, they become our best tool for preventing real harm.

Make It Part of the Culture

• Talk about near misses in safety huddles.
• Encourage reporting without blame or embarrassment.
• Investigate the cause, just as you would a recordable incident.
• Fix the issue immediately, no matter how small it seems.

You don’t need a form or a committee to fix a loose board or reposition a slippery ramp. Just eyes on, speak up, and take action.

The Final Lift

We can't prevent every hazard, but we can learn from every warning. A near miss is a second chance—don’t wait for the next one to be the real thing.

Have you had a near miss that changed how you work? Share your story with the crew—or here. The more we talk about it, the more we prevent.

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