Which statement about near-miss reporting is true?

Which statement about near-miss reporting is true?

• A. It helps capture near-misses before harm occurs and informs prevention strategies.
• B. It increases workload with no tangible benefit.
• C. It delays corrective actions.
• D. It hides errors from staff.

Answer: (A)

Near-miss reporting is about catching events that could have caused harm but didn’t, then using what’s learned to prevent future harm. By documenting these close calls, you reveal where processes, equipment, or human factors are weak, enabling timely corrective actions and guiding improvements in training, policies, and system design. This proactive approach yields real safety benefits and helps reduce risk, rather than simply adding workload without payoff. It also promotes openness and learning, not secrecy, so staff feel encouraged to report near-misses.

Near-miss reporting is about catching events that could have caused harm but didn’t, then using what’s learned to prevent future harm. By documenting these close calls, you reveal where processes, equipment, or human factors are weak, enabling timely corrective actions and guiding improvements in training, policies, and system design. This proactive approach yields real safety benefits and helps reduce risk, rather than simply adding workload without payoff. It also promotes openness and learning, not secrecy, so staff feel encouraged to report near-misses.