A suspended load drops two metres from an operator. A missed lockout is found just before the job starts. Nobody is hurt, and the event may be logged as a simple near miss. Yet it is the most valuable information an organisation can receive: a pSIF, an event with the potential for serious injury or fatality.
Why pSIFs change the game
Serious accidents and minor injuries do not share the same causes. Reducing small injuries does not automatically reduce serious events. pSIFs, by contrast, point straight at the scenarios that matter: hazardous energy, lifting, work at height, confined spaces, traffic.
Four conditions to make the most of them
- A simple, shared definition of what a pSIF is.
- A climate where reporting is valued, never punished.
- Analysis focused on failed barriers rather than blame.
- Fast sharing of lessons with every exposed site.
A dedicated Safety Week — “Before the serious event: spot the pSIF” — is often an excellent starting point to build this reflex.
Start with one simple question: how do you know?
10 questions, 5 minutes, and a personal 30-minute debrief with an expert. Free, no commitment.
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