Which statement best defines a near miss?

• A. An event that could have caused harm but did not, due to chance
• B. An event that could have caused harm but did not, either by chance or timely intervention
• C. An event that required immediate surgery
• D. An event that has no potential for harm

Answer: (B)

Near misses are situations where harm could have occurred but didn’t happen. This can happen because of luck or because someone acted in time to stop harm. The statement that captures both of these possibilities—harm could have occurred but didn’t, either by chance or timely intervention—best defines a near miss. It’s a warning sign that safety systems could fail and should be investigated to prevent future harm. If an event actually required immediate surgery, that would be an instance of harm occurring, not a near miss. If there’s no potential for harm at all, it isn’t a near miss.