How to build a near-miss reporting culture

Behind every serious accident are many unreported near misses. A reporting culture starts by overcoming the thought “if I say something, I'll get in trouble”.

• Easy: a few taps on a phone, a photo and a location are enough.
• Safe: reporting doesn't look for a culprit; the aim is to fix the system.
• Visible: the reporter is told what came of the report.
• Thanks: the best reports are mentioned at the team meeting.
• Management example: managers report too.

After the report

Each report goes to an owner, with an investigation and action opened if needed. The board shows where similar reports cluster; the countermeasure comes before an accident.