Page 30 - Insight Issue 3

Health and Safety

Near misses .......... Why bother?
Chris explains the importance of reporting near misses

Chris Leach
Health and Safety Leader
Merseyside Police Federation

The last few months has seen a very busy time ‘Dangerous occurrences’ are specifed (near miss) events which
here at the Federation on aspects of Health and may not result in a reportable injury, but have the potential to do
Safety. There has been a steady number of reported signifcant harm. Certain accidents, incidents and industrial diseases
must be reported to the Health and Safety Authorities under
accidents and near misses, not because there has the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences
been more accidents but I believe that staff are now Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR), and as such Merseyside police are
more confdent in reporting accidents. Also the new legally obliged to report such instances.
OSHENS systems is easier to use and thus near miss A large measure of the success of near miss reporting is down
and accidents are more likely to be reported. to the quality of the data submitted. Please consider this when
submitting the near miss or accident reports via OSHENS.

In terms of Health and Safety near miss reports are vital in Please ensure that when you are reporting accidents that if the
maintaining your safety at work not only for yourself but for your accident involves yourself include your details as the injured party.
colleagues and members of the public who call at our police This ensures the relevant information is recorded.
stations.
Be mindful that when completing the information around the
‘Near Miss’ reporting, or the lack of it, is a controversial indicator of accident or near miss that you do not include sensitive information
an organisation’s safety culture. Identifying and investigating ‘Near about individuals. This could be personal details of suspects or
Misses’ are key elements to fnding and controlling risks before witnesses. There are occasions when the report is forwarded on
employees are injured or property is damaged. Merseyside police to investigatory bodies such as the Health and Safety Executive
has a good history of Health and Safety awareness and have been (HSE) and alike and that sensitive information should not be
keen in encouraging staff in reporting near misses shared with them.

By doing the above it assists the health and safety department in
So what is a near Miss? A Near Miss is an unplanned implementing a successful health and safety strategy.
event that did not result in an injury, illness or damage
– but had the potential to do so.

Once a near miss or accident report is submitted it is sent to
various departments for their attention. These include the force If you have any questions around
health and safety team, strand leads, estates and facilities but the above please feel free to contact
also here at the Merseyside Police Federation. This allows the
Federation to see when things are going wrong and identify me at Green Lane or the health and
emerging trends. Once all the information is received it may trigger safety team at HQ on the below
an investigation. The Health and Safety team at Headquarters numbers.
analyse all the data. Near miss or accident reports generate issues
to be discussed at strategic meetings in order to ensure the risk
is managed or hazards are removed. The reporting mechanism is Chris Leach
vital to ensure that the messages of risk and injuries are passed
to senior managers. Merseyside Police Federation
0151 259 2535

“‘Near Misses’ are key elements Terry Farrow ext. x78277

to fnding and controlling risks Lee McCullough ext x78208
before employees are injured or Jane Crockett ext x 78279

property is damaged
”

30 Insight Magazine of Merseyside Police Federation - Issue 2 of 2017 • www.merpolfed.org.uk

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