Case studies when it went wrong
A case study here is a moment where the hazard stopped being theoretical: a chemical breached a glove, an anchor deformed under real load, a panel that should have been dead produced an arc flash. Good PPE and procedure often kept the outcome from being worse, but a real failure took place.
When the Wrong Glove Meets the Right ChemicalA general-purpose glove meets a solvent it was never rated for – and a lesson in matching gloves to breakthrough time, not habit.Read the study →
The Anchor Point That Wasn’t Rated for the JobAn unrated anchor point deforms mid-arrest, revealing why convenience is never a substitute for a certified anchor device.Read the study →
The Dust You Could Not See Was the ProblemA team cut concrete indoors all shift with no extraction; the dangerous dust never settled and the exposure was real, not hypothetical.Read the study →
The Live Panel That Should Have Been DeadAn electrician opened a panel believing it was isolated; a dropped tool bridged two terminals and produced an arc flash.Read the study →The Roof Light That Would Not Take His WeightA worker stepped onto a fragile rooflight hidden under moss and it gave way instantly, testing the fall arrest system that caught him.Read the study →Case Studies
Case Studies: When the Hazard Became an Incident
More Field Stories
These are drawn from the full Field Stories library, which also includes our Near Misses. Every story links to the specific EN standards behind it – explore the full EN Standards Library for the requirements themselves.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a case study and a near miss on this site?
A case study describes a moment where the hazard actually became an incident – a real failure took place – while a near miss describes a hazard that was present but caught in time before anyone was hurt.
Are the case studies based on real events?
They are composite case studies drawn from real workplace situations, written to illustrate a genuine failure mode without identifying a specific person, company or site.
Why publish case studies where the outcome was already bad?
Because seeing exactly how good PPE or procedure still wasn't enough to fully prevent an incident makes the underlying lesson concrete in a way abstract guidance cannot.
Can I submit my own case study?
Yes, real stories from the field – including ones where an incident did occur – can be submitted through the Submit Your Story page.