A big rise in near-miss reports reflects much greater awareness of potential hazards by the company’s workforce.
Near-misses, or ‘accidents that nearly happened’, are teaching ABB employees valuable lessons in the drive to reduce the number of workplace accidents. A big rise in near-miss reports reflects much greater awareness of potential hazards by the company’s workforce.
A near-miss is an unplanned incident that, but for greater safety awareness, training and procedures, could have resulted in injury, damage or loss of production. Twelve months ago, site managers were challenged to double the number of near-miss reports.
This near-miss initiative produced a 300 per cent increase – from 118 near-miss reports during 2005 to a resounding 437 near-miss reports during 2006.
To mark the achievement, ABB has made a £1,000 donation to a charity chosen by the site managers concerned. They voted to send the money to a charity developing drugs to treat people suffering from mesothelioma, an incurable asbestos-related disease. The donation was made in memory of their late colleague, Alan Thorpe, who contracted the disease with a former employer.
To maintain the momentum, ABB has pledged to give £4 to charity for every near-miss reported during 2007. This is an incentive for ABB employees and its partner organisations both to make ABB a safer place to work, and support their chosen worthy causes.