Near misses often get logged and forgotten. A forklift turns too sharply, a tool falls and narrowly misses someone, or a walkway trip hazard is spotted just in time. No one was hurt. So nothing happens.
But something should.
At The Checker, we believe near misses and safety observations are valuable signals, not lucky escapes. They show you where your process needs attention, before something worse occurs.
Every Near Miss Is a Safety Message
When someone notices a close call or a hazard, what they’re really saying is: “This could have gone wrong.” That’s information you can act on. It might mean:
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- A change in how a task is performed
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- A refresher training session
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- An update to inspection procedures
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- A reminder during your next safety talk
The insight is there, if you capture it.
Turn Observations Into Safer Outcomes
Observations happen everywhere: at the jobsite, in the yard, on the floor, or during a walkthrough. But unless they’re documented, shared, and followed up on, they lose value fast. That’s why we recommend using the Observation Reporter, a digital tool designed for the real world:
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- Capture observations, hazards, and commendations on the spot
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- Snap a photo, add notes, and submit instantly
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- Track status, assign follow-ups, and close the loop
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- Build a record of safety awareness over time
It’s not just about logging data. It’s about responding while the issue is fresh and keeping your team engaged in building a safer workplace.
🔎 Explore Observation Reporter
Supervisors, Trainers, and Safety Leads: Use What You Learn
The best safety leaders don’t wait for accidents. They act on what they observe. Near misses and frontline observations can be used to:
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- Launch targeted tailgate talks
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- Update SafeWork Guide content
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- Improve supervisor awareness
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- Revisit training priorities
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- Reinforce inspection checkpoints
And when you show your team that their observations lead to real changes, they’re more likely to report again. That’s how you build a proactive safety culture.
The Best Safety Wins Are the Ones That Prevent Harm
You don’t need to wait for an accident to improve your process. Every near miss, every quick-thinking team member, every “that was close” moment is a chance to make your workplace safer.
Don’t just record them. Learn from them. Act on them.
And give your team the tools that make it easy to do the right thing.
