Thorough investigations into small incidents can yield big safety gains

Small incidents – or unplanned events that did not result in injury, illness or damage but had the potential to do so – should be investigated more thoroughly than they are now. It is a cost-effective way to provide a greater understanding of complex systems and global behaviors, Mike Munsil, Project Manager at PSRG, said at the IADC HSE&T Conference in Houston. In this video from the event on 6 February, Mr Munsil explains the 5-Why approach, which asks a series of successive “why” questions, and how it can be used to investigate small incidents. He also explains why he advocates for the term “small incident” rather than “near miss,” which can convey the idea that an event is isolated and unimportant.