What is a Near-Miss Electrical Incident and Why Should You Care?

Near-Misses: Closing the Reporting Gap and Strengthening Electrical Safety

A surprising number of workplace accidents start as near misses—unplanned events that nearly cause injury but don’t. Unfortunately, many organizations see few, if any, near-miss reports and assume that means they’re in the clear. In reality, a low count of near misses often signals a reporting problem rather than a genuine lack of risks.

Why Near-Misses Matter

A near-miss is more than a close call—it’s a clear warning that something in your process or safety program needs improvement. When these events go unreported:

• Corrective actions are never taken.
• Hazards remain unaddressed.
• Workers remain at risk of more severe incidents.

If employees don’t feel comfortable sharing near misses—or simply don’t realize they’ve experienced one—management loses critical data that could prevent future accidents.

Building a Culture That Encourages Reporting

1. Open Communication: Workers won’t report near misses if they fear punishment or blame. A positive, solution-focused approach helps foster trust and candid feedback.
2. Targeted Training: Teams must understand what a near miss is, why it matters, and how to recognize it. Effective training empowers them to make better decisions and spot potential hazards before they escalate.
3. Leadership by Example: When management prioritizes safety over production pressures, employees get the message that speaking up is both expected and valued.

Introducing Proxxi: A Wearable Voltage Detector

Even with a strong safety culture, human error and unrecognized hazards can still slip through. Proxxi offers a proactive solution by alerting workers to live voltage in real-time, helping prevent near misses before they become more serious. Key benefits include:

• Real-Time Hazard Detection: Haptic, audible, and visual alerts (110V–500kV) warn workers of energized equipment.
• Proxxi Promise: Up to $100K of medical deductible coverage for an injured worker—reinforcing our commitment to your team’s well-being.
• Data-Driven Insights: The Proxxi Dashboard records usage and alerts, turning near misses into actionable metrics. With this concrete data, you can refine training, identify recurring risks, and address them early.
• Easy Adoption: Worn on the wrist, Proxxi becomes part of everyday PPE—no need to remember a separate tool or device.

How Proxxi Supports Near-Miss Reporting

1. Early Warnings: When workers receive an alert, they immediately see that a potential near miss occurred. This heightened awareness encourages them to log incidents and initiate crucial discussions.
2. Analytics & Visibility: Supervisors can identify patterns of recurring alerts—areas, teams, or tasks that frequently trigger warnings—allowing targeted interventions and improvements.
3. Continuous Improvement: Clear and consistent data provides the foundation for training updates, equipment checks, and ultimately fewer near-misses.

Take the Next Step: Pilot Proxxi and Learn More

If you’re ready to address gaps in near-miss reporting and reduce electrical hazards:

• Learn about our Pilot Program, request a sample of Proxxi, and explore how a wearable voltage detector can fit into your existing protocols.
• Register for Our Webinar: Beyond LOTO—How Wearable Voltage Detection Enhances Electrical Safety
  • When: Thursday, February 13 at 11:00 AM Central

Empower Your Safety Culture

A proactive approach to near misses is one of the most effective ways to keep your workforce safe and your operations running smoothly. By combining a strong safety culture with real-time technology like Proxxi, you can transform potentially hidden risks into opportunities for improvement—one alert at a time.