A ‘near miss’ is when an accident could have happen, but thankfully did not. uOttawa defines it as ‘a situation that could have led to an injury, to illness or to property damage‘.
Examples
- A student drops a container full of chemicals onto the floor, but by using protection equipment properly they avoided skin contact
- Cooking appliances left on in the Department’s kitchenette
- Mislabeled substances in a lab
- Blocked exit paths
Why is reporting important?
Reporting a problematic situation is a way we, as workers, can make sure those responsable for health and safety on campus are aware of it can address it before someone gets hurt.
Reporting a ‘near miss’ — or any other incident, however minor — right away is the best way to make sure you get all the details right. It also enables the correction of the situation, preventing an actual incident from happening. All you need to do is to look for “In uOttawa’s Report Form.
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