What does the term 'near miss' refer to?

The term 'near miss' specifically refers to an incident that had the potential to cause injury or damage but ultimately did not result in harm. It highlights situations where, despite there being significant risk, either due to luck or timely intervention, no actual injury or damage occurred. Identifying and analyzing near misses is crucial in health and safety environments because they offer valuable insights into potential hazards and can inform preventive measures to avoid future incidents. This understanding helps organizations improve safety protocols and training to ensure that real incidents are less likely to occur in the future.

The other options reflect different scenarios that do not align with the definition of a near miss; for instance, a minor injury or an accident that caused damage describes events that have already had adverse outcomes, while situations adhering to safety protocols do not capture incidents where harm was narrowly avoided.