Which outcome is associated with reporting near misses?

• A. Future preventative actions can occur
• B. Immediate penalties
• C. No action needed
• D. Reduced safety awareness

Answer: (A)

Reporting near misses is a proactive safety practice that emphasizes learning from near incidents to prevent actual harm. When a near miss is reported, investigations look for root causes and contributing factors in processes, equipment, training, or controls, and then corrective actions are put in place to reduce the chance of recurrence. This leads to future preventative actions such as changes to procedures, new or improved engineering controls, additional training, or updated maintenance schedules. The goal is to strengthen the safety system and foster a transparent safety culture rather than assign blame. Immediate penalties, no action, or reduced safety awareness do not promote learning or prevent recurrence, so they don’t fit the purpose of near-miss reporting.