Why should near misses be investigated?

• A. They are only for compliance
• B. They always cause injuries
• C. They are not important
• D. Near misses usually occur more than once. Eventually they will lead to an actual loss incident. It is important to investigate them in order to prevent them in the future.

Answer: (D)

Investigating near misses is a proactive safety practice that turns warning signals into learning opportunities. A near miss points to a weakness in the system—whether in equipment, conditions, procedures, or human factors. By examining what happened and why, you uncover root causes and implement changes that reduce the chance of a real loss in the future. This is why the message is to investigate: it helps prevent future incidents by addressing underlying hazards before harm occurs. The other options miss the central idea: near misses aren’t just for compliance, they don’t always lead to injuries, they are indeed important to safety, and while some hazards can recur, the main purpose of investigation is preventing future losses.