Which statement about near-miss reporting is true?

Which statement about near-miss reporting is true?

• A. It helps capture near-misses before harm occurs and informs prevention strategies.
• B. It increases workload with no tangible benefit.
• C. It delays corrective actions.
• D. It hides errors from staff.

Answer: (A)

Near-miss reporting is a proactive safety practice that focuses on events that could have caused harm but were averted. The true statement is that near-miss reporting helps capture near-misses before harm occurs and informs prevention strategies. By collecting and analyzing these events, teams uncover weaknesses in processes, equipment, or training, and use that information to implement changes—like policy updates, redesigned workflows, standard work, or additional checks—to prevent actual harm in the future. This supports a safer system and a learning culture.

The other options don’t fit because one suggests there’s no benefit and only extra work; in reality, the data from near-miss reports helps reduce future risk. Another implies it delays corrective actions; in practice, reporting often speeds up investigation and fixes. The last suggests it hides errors from staff; good near-miss reporting promotes openness and learning rather than concealing mistakes.