Are You Learning From Near Misses? A Practical ISO 45001 Review

A near-miss report can be filed quickly and then forgotten. The useful question is what changed afterwards and whether that change worked.

Follow one report through to the outcome

Select one recent report and trace the sequence: what happened, who reviewed it, what action was agreed, who owned it and how the result was checked. Look for missing handovers between the people reporting the issue and the people responsible for improvement.

For example, imagine deliveries repeatedly arrive outside an agreed booking window. A reminder email may be recorded as complete, but the same disruption continues. Review who communicates the booking arrangements, how exceptions are handled and what later delivery records show. The point is to investigate the process behind the repeated issue.

Ask the people who use the process

Speak with the team about whether reporting is straightforward and whether they hear what happened to their concerns. A register alone may not explain why information is missing or why an action was difficult to apply.

Keep the review connected to the people and activities affected. Where the findings require specialist risk assessment or technical controls, involve the appropriate competent people.

Make the action list usable

Give each action a clear owner and completion date. Decide what evidence will show the improvement worked. At the next review, check the outcome rather than only counting how many entries were closed.

If similar reports continue, revisit the cause and the action. Avoid treating a repeated problem as a fresh administrative task every time.

Practical ISO 45001 support

At AA Compliance Compass Ltd, I provide ISO 45001 gap analysis, internal audits and management-system support for SMEs and contractors. My experience as a commercial and operations director shapes an approach that connects records, responsibilities and everyday work.

For checks on how employees and subcontractors understand controls, read the practical risk-awareness article. Explore ISO and compliance support.

If this sounds familiar, call me on 07889 890234. I can complete a practical gap analysis and give you a prioritised action plan.