Difference Between Near Miss , Incident and Accident

accident is an unplanned event with actual harm, injury, or damage.A near miss is an unplanned event with the potential for harm but no actual damage or injury occurred.An incident is a broad term for any unplanned event that results in harm, property damage, illness, or a near miss, or even a hazard identified and fixed before any harm happened.

Here's a breakdown of each term:

Near Miss

Definition:A "close call" where an unexpected event could have caused injury, death, or damage but did not.

Example:A worker almost slips on a wet floor but recovers their balance before falling.

Key takeaway:No harm occurred, but the potential for harm was present.

Accident

Definition:An unexpected, unplanned event that causes actual injury, illness, or damage to property.

Example:A worker falls on a wet floor and suffers a serious injury.

Key takeaway:The event resulted in real negative consequences.

Incident

Definition:

The broadest term, encompassing any unexpected event that disrupts operations or could have resulted in harm, including accidents and near misses.

Example:

A spill occurs, a box falls and narrowly misses someone, or a hazardous situation is reported and fixed before anyone is affected.

Key takeaway:

It is a collective term that includes events with or without harm, and can even refer to a condition identified as a hazard before any event takes place.

Why the distinction matters

Prevention:

Understanding these differences helps in implementing preventative measures.

Safety culture:

Encouraging reporting of both near misses and accidents fosters a proactive safety culture.

Legal compliance:

Failing to address incidents, including near misses, can have legal ramifications.

Risk management:

Investigating near misses helps identify underlying hazards and control failures that could lead to future accidents.