Almost an Accident—Be Warned
How many times have you come close to having an accident, shrugged it off as a near miss, and gone on your merry way without giving it another thought? I want all of you to give it thought. Many times, the difference between a near miss and an accident is just a fraction of a second in timing or a fraction of an inch in distance. Next time, the difference may not be there.
Near misses are warnings of accidents in the making. If we accept the warnings and look for the causes, we may be able to prevent similar situations from developing.
Let's say you're going up a gangplank onto a bridge footer. Your foot slips, but you're young, agile, fast, and empty-handed. So you regain your balance with no harm done. The reactions of the next person to come along are a little slower than Then comes the third worker—just as fast as the first two but unable to maneuver because he's carrying a heavy load. He slips and falls off the plank with the load on top of him. How seriously he's injured is a matter of luck—perhaps only scratches, but maybe a broken ankle or rib or neck!
Now the loose cleat, sand, mud, or ice is discovered, and the condition is corrected. But it's like locking the garage after the motorcycle is stolen. Two people saw the thief but didn't recognize what was happening, so didn't report anything.
There are a few accidents that occur without some advance warning—and that is what a near miss is. If we heed that warning and check into the hazard, most accidents can be eliminated. So, I want all of you to keep your eyes open for those advance warnings. Don't shrug off the near misses as only close calls; find out why they happened and who can take corrective action.
Don't take unnecessary chances or ignore warnings, and don't think "it can't happen to me." It can happen to you if you don't take precautions to protect yourself.