Which sequence best represents proper near-miss incident investigations?

• A. Blame someone immediately
• B. Collect data, interview witnesses, review procedures, determine root cause, implement corrective actions, and document findings
• C. Ignore procedures
• D. Skip documenting findings

Answer: (B)

A disciplined, data-driven approach that aims to uncover root causes and prevent recurrence is what proper near-miss investigations rely on. The sequence that starts with collecting data, interviewing witnesses, reviewing procedures, determining the root cause, implementing corrective actions, and documenting findings captures the full cycle: gather facts, understand how things happened, check existing processes, address the underlying issues, take concrete fixes, and record everything for accountability and future learning. This keeps the focus on improvement rather than blame, and builds a traceable record of what was found and what was done.

Blaming someone immediately undermines the investigation’s objectivity and misses systemic issues. Ignoring procedures or skipping documenting findings also weakens safety learning and accountability, which are essential for preventing future incidents.