Major Accidents Don't Happen 'Suddenly': Protecting the Future from 'Near-Misses' #28

In corporate activities, especially in the manufacturing and construction industries, 'safety first' is an absolute principle.
Accidents and disasters are things that 'must never happen.' All operations should be prioritized after safety.

However, in reality, major accidents have not reached zero.
Why is that?

■ The accidents we see are only a small fraction

The hint lies in the concept of the 'tip of the iceberg'.

Only a small part of an iceberg floating in the ocean is visible above the water's surface,
while the vast majority is hidden beneath the surface.

Accidents are the same.
The 'major accidents' we see in the news are actually just the tip of the iceberg.

■ What is Heinrich's Law?

The famous Heinrich's Law (1:29:300) systematically illustrates this concept of the tip of the iceberg.

It is an empirical rule derived by Herbert William Heinrich in the 1930s after analyzing industrial accidents.
• Major accidents: 1
• Minor accidents: 29
• Near-misses: 300

In other words—
Behind one major accident, there are 300 'near-miss' moments lurking.That is what it means.

■ Are you underestimating near-misses...?

Near-missesare moments where, although an accident did not occur,
• 'I felt a chill'
• 'I was startled'

Such moments. In many cases, they tend to be overlooked with the thought, 'Nothing happened, so it's fine.'

But that is the greatest risk.
For example, have you ever had experiences like these?

• Leaving a tool on the floor and nearly tripping over it
• Almost skipping a check and realizing it just in time
• Almost skipping a procedure because 'it's always like this'
None of these resulted in an accident.

However, these are all
'seeds of accidents'.

■ Why countermeasures after an accident are too late

Conventional safety measures have focused on preventing recurrence after an accident has occurred.

However—
Once a major accident occurs, it has an irreversible impact on human life and social credibility.

'Responding after it happens' is too late.

On the other hand, major accidents occur infrequently and are difficult to predict.
That is precisely why we should focus on'small abnormalities' lurking in daily life.

■ The essence of putting safety first is facing the '300'

The essence shown by Heinrich's Law is simple.

To prevent major accidents, the only way is to eliminate near-misses.

To put it extremely,
• If you reduce 300 near-misses,
• 29 minor accidents will also decrease,
• and the possibility of preventing 1 major accident increases.

That is what it means.

■ Human error 'will not disappear'

Many near-misses are caused by human error.

Human error is

'human behavior that produces unintended results'(JIS definition).

In other words, no matter how excellent a person is, mistakes are unavoidable.

In fact, many large-scale accidents are triggered by 'misunderstandings' or 'lack of confirmation' by people.

That is why this is the premise

'People will always make mistakes'

Unless you stand on this premise, true safety measures cannot be established.

■ Concrete measures that can be taken on-site

Measures based on the premise of human error include the following:
• Development and thorough implementation of manuals and rules
• Confirmation through pointing and calling
• Double-checking
• Utilization of checklists
• Risk prediction training (KYT)
• Sensitivity training (raising awareness of danger)
• Fatigue management and sufficient rest
• Reviewing the work environment

Each one is modest, but
accumulating them prevents accidents.

■ An 'environment where you can report' prevents accidents

What is often overlooked here is another important perspective.

Near-misses only have value once they are reported.

If the workplace has
• An atmosphere that blames mistakes
• An atmosphere where it is difficult to report

then near-misses will not come to light.

As a result, problems continue to accumulate beneath the surface,
and one day, they suddenly surface as a major accident.

That is why prioritizing safety also means
creating a 'culture that does not blame mistakes'.

■ Safety is an 'investment,' not a 'cost'

Safety measures take time and effort.

However, the results change significantly depending on whether you view them as a 'cost'.

Safety is the greatest investment for preventing losses caused by accidents.What you lose in a single major accident is:

• Human life
• Trust
• Corporate value
None of these are easy to regain.

■ The greatest enemies are 'habit' and 'complacency'

One of the root causes of human error is complacency.
• 'This much is fine'
• 'There is no problem because I always do it this way'

This small lapse in attention leads to major accidents.

■ Prioritizing safety is a 'daily attitude'

Safety is not a special initiative.
• Do not overlook small feelings of discomfort
• Do not skip checks even if it is troublesome
• Share trivial mistakes

It is the accumulation of these daily actions that prevents future accidents.

Major accidents do not happen suddenly one day.
Before that, there are always countless 'overlooked signs'.

That is why,

do not overlook the moment you feel a 'near-miss'.

And one more thing.

Are you able to share that near-miss?

It does not have to be perfect.
First, try putting into words one thing you noticed today.

The accumulation of small actions protects future lives.