Near miss management systems in the industrial sector: A literature review

The concept of near miss is quickly wide spreading from pioneer sectors -such as the aviation and the chemical industries-to other ones, like construction and manufacturing. A near miss usually outlines an adverse event that could have caused major harm to someone (i.e. a worker), but did not result in any damage. This diffusion is mainly due to the intrinsic value provided by near miss analysis, as they currently represent a relevant source of information for preventing accidents at the workplace. Although international standards and technical reports have outlined its effectiveness in identifying possible causes of accidents, only a few companies currently apply structured near miss management systems. A near miss management system (NMS) is composed of several processes: from collection to analysis and, finally, dissemination of knowledge to all stakeholders. A standard method to design and manage NMS is not proposed in the international literature; a critical analysis about current near miss management systems is still lacking. The aim of this work is to review scientific literature on this topic, aiming at highlighting best practices and criticalities in its application, thus providing guidelines for developing more effective NMSs. The obtained results outline the state of the art of the application of near miss management systems in industry; positive aspects, limits and further developments are outlined to provide structured information to researchers in addressing current critical issues in NMSs, but also technicians in developing their own effective NMS.

Automated summary

The concept of near miss is spreading rapidly to industries beyond aviation and chemical sectors. Near miss analysis provides valuable information for preventing workplace accidents, but only a few companies have implemented structured near miss management systems. The aim of this study is to review scientific literature and provide guidelines for developing more effective near miss management systems.