Workplace Health and Safety Basics Course (EU): Reporting accidents and near misses

1. Question 1 of 16

   What is a near miss?

   • AA planned fire drill
   • BA complaint about pay
   • CAn unplanned event that could have caused harm, but did not
   • DAn accident in which someone was injured and needed first aid
   Show answer

   Answer: C. An unplanned event that could have caused harm, but did not

   OSHwiki defines a near miss as an unplanned event that had the potential to result in injury, illness or damage.

2. Question 2 of 16

   Which of these is a near miss?

   • AA worker trips on the stairs, sprains an ankle and goes home early
   • BA worker takes sick leave because of flu
   • CA box falls where a worker stood a moment before; nobody is hurt
   • DThe team holds a planned evacuation drill
   Show answer

   Answer: C. A box falls where a worker stood a moment before; nobody is hurt

   Nothing harmful happened, but it could have. That makes it a near miss, which should be reported.

3. Question 3 of 16

   Why are near misses worth reporting?

   • AReporting them is only about filling in forms for managers
   • BThey show who should be punished
   • CThey often have the same causes as accidents
   • DThey always lead to fines for the employer
   Show answer

   Answer: C. They often have the same causes as accidents

   OSHwiki says the causes of accidents are often the same as those of near misses, so a near miss is a free lesson.

4. Question 4 of 16

   What is the aim of looking into a near miss?

   • ATo learn from it and prevent accidents
   • BTo find out who is guilty and should be disciplined
   • CTo fill in a form and file it
   • DTo decide which worker to fine
   Show answer

   Answer: A. To learn from it and prevent accidents

   The aim is to learn and prevent accidents, not to find who is guilty.

5. Question 5 of 16

   Who is responsible for reporting near misses?

   • AOnly senior managers
   • BOnly workers who were hurt
   • CEveryone in the workplace
   • DOnly the safety manager
   Show answer

   Answer: C. Everyone in the workplace

   OSHwiki says reporting should be seen as everyone's responsibility, not only management's or the safety team's.

6. Question 6 of 16

   Which practice is most likely to stop workers reporting near misses?

   • APunishing people who report them
   • BTraining new workers to report
   • CTelling reporters what action was taken
   • DMaking the reporting form short and easy
   Show answer

   Answer: A. Punishing people who report them

   Workers report more when they know they will not be punished. Fear of blame is a key barrier.

7. Question 7 of 16

   Which detail is useful in a near-miss report?

   • AWhat stopped the event from becoming an accident
   • BWhich worker should be disciplined
   • CThe reporter's opinion of their manager and colleagues
   • DThe reporter's salary
   Show answer

   Answer: A. What stopped the event from becoming an accident

   A good report covers what happened, when, where, who was involved, contributing factors, what prevented an accident and ideas to stop it happening again.

8. Question 8 of 16

   How should near-miss reporting be set up?

   • AOnly through a long meeting with senior managers each month
   • BSimple and open to everyone, on paper or electronically
   • COnly once a year in a survey
   • DOnly by email to the national authority
   Show answer

   Answer: B. Simple and open to everyone, on paper or electronically

   OSHwiki advises making reporting simple and accessible to everyone, on paper or electronically.

9. Question 9 of 16

   A near miss shows a hazard. What should be done first?

   • AWait for the next yearly review
   • BFile the report and take no action
   • CRemove any immediate danger first, then find a lasting fix
   • DFind a lasting solution first and leave the danger in place
   Show answer

   Answer: C. Remove any immediate danger first, then find a lasting fix

   Immediate dangers should be fixed first; permanent solutions are considered after that.

10. Question 10 of 16

    After a near miss has been looked into, what should the person who reported it be told?

    • AOnly the name of the person who will be blamed for it
    • BWhat action was taken, or why none was needed
    • CThat they should not report again
    • DNothing, the matter is closed
    Show answer

    Answer: B. What action was taken, or why none was needed

    Feedback to the reporter shows that reports lead to action and encourages more reporting.

11. Question 11 of 16

    After a safety campaign, near-miss reports go up. What does this usually mean?

    • APeople are more aware and are reporting more
    • BThe reports are false
    • CThe workplace has suddenly become much more dangerous
    • DThe campaign failed and should stop
    Show answer

    Answer: A. People are more aware and are reporting more

    OSHwiki notes that a rise in reports after a campaign usually reflects greater awareness, not more risk.

12. Question 12 of 16

    What should an investigation of an accident or near miss try to find?

    • AThe root causes
    • BA reason not to change anything
    • CThe cheapest way to close the file
    • DThe worker to blame
    Show answer

    Answer: A. The root causes

    OSHwiki says all accidents and near misses should be investigated and their root causes found.

13. Question 13 of 16

    Under the Framework Directive, which accidents must the employer keep a list of?

    • AOnly accidents that cost the employer more than 1,000 euros
    • BOnly accidents that cause a death
    • COnly accidents that happen outdoors
    • DAccidents that cause more than three working days off work
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Accidents that cause more than three working days off work

    Article 9(1)(c) requires a list of accidents resulting in a worker being unfit for work for more than three working days.

14. Question 14 of 16

    Look at the table. How many of these accidents must go on the employer's list under Article 9 of the Framework Directive?

    Day	Injury	Working days unfit for work
    Mon	Cut finger	0
    Tue	Sprained wrist	4
    Wed	Bruised knee	3
    Thu	Back strain	7
    Fri	Burn on hand	1
    Sat	Broken toe	12

    • A2
    • B3
    • C6
    • D4
    Show answer

    Answer: B. 3

    Only absences of more than three working days count: 4, 7 and 12 days, so 3 accidents. The 3-day absence is not more than three.

15. Question 15 of 16

    Who sets the detailed rules for reporting accidents to the authorities?

    • AThe employer's insurance company alone
    • BEU-OSHA, separately for each company
    • CEach Member State, in its national law
    • DEach worker, case by case
    Show answer

    Answer: C. Each Member State, in its national law

    The employer must draw up accident reports for the responsible authorities in line with national laws and practice.

16. Question 16 of 16

    In EU accident statistics, when is an accident at work counted as fatal?

    • AWhen the victim dies within one week
    • BWhen the victim is off work for more than a month
    • COnly when the victim dies at the scene of the accident
    • DWhen the victim dies within one year of it
    Show answer

    Answer: D. When the victim dies within one year of it

    Eurostat counts fatal accidents at work as those that lead to the victim's death within 1 year of the accident.

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