ABSTRACT
A formal, structured system of reporting and recording accidents and near miss incidents should be introduced. The purpose of both accident and near miss incident investigation is to carry out an investigation into the undesired event, to determine what happened and what can be done to prevent a similar event recurring. Near miss incident investigation, on the other hand, is a precontact activity as no loss occurred, but the potential for loss was recognized, and by investigating and taking preventative measures, a recurrence which may have devastating consequence is prevented. Accident and high potential near miss incident investigations, properly conducted, help identify and quantify the losses incurred by undesired events. The organization's standard covering accident and high potential near miss incident investigation should include the following: Since numerous near miss incidents occur for each serious injury experienced, they should be regarded as warning signs, or accident precursors, and be reported and risk ranked.
