In an ever-changing manufacturing environment, a continuous safety culture is extremely important. One way to foresee and hopefully prevent accidents is through the Hiyari Hatto program used in Japan. Hiyari Hatto (or Near-miss) refers to an instance when you witnessed or thought of something that almost happened, but didn’t. When this type of situation occurs and you feel that something unsafe almost happened, then you should report the incident and how you felt. Forms can be used for employees to submit their experiences to a safety committee. The committee can evaluate the incidents for risk levels and develop plans to prevent the nearly-missed accidents from occurring. For small issues, quick fixes may be applied to remove the hazard. For larger concerns, it may be necessary for more extensive solutions and investments to eliminate the risk in the future. No matter the level of seriousness of the issue, anytime an employee feels this danger after witnessing a near-miss, they should report the Hiyari Hatto to help prevent accidents before they happen. With this program, everyone can actively participate in a culture of safety.
