When an accident occurs in the workplace there can be all sorts of consequences. From physical injuries to property damage to potential emotional distress felt by the person and their colleagues.
All these consequences come with lessons about how to prevent future incidents and feedback about why something might have occurred.
Documenting all this reaction in an incident report is one of the best ways to make sure it never happens again.
If you’ve ever wondered what things you need to include in an incident report then this piece is for you.
What is an Incident Report?
While we may have heard the term ‘Incident report’ thrown around before, knowing their purpose and what specifics you need included in them can be more vague.
An incident report is a document that records injuries, near misses, and accidents. It is there to record what happened and to ensure accountability. These reports are best created as close to the time of the incident occurring to ensure the maximum amount of evidence can be documented.
In reports should be the date, time, and location of where the incident took place, as well as descriptions of the incidents, eye witness information, and what action was taken. In certain reports, there may need to be specific information gathered but the above points are almost always included.
Legal requirements for reporting incidents in the UK
In the UK, there are legal obligations to report incidents in the workplace. These obligations come under ‘RIDDOR’ which stands for Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations.
RIDDOR requires employers to report and keep records of work-related deaths and injuries as well as occupational diseases and occurrences.
Businesses must appoint a ‘responsible person’ to create these reports. This can be any number of people such as the employers themselves, self-employed people, and those in control of a work premises.
RIDDOR defines an accident as “a type of incident which is separate, identifiable, unintended and causes physical injury”. This can include acts of violence in the workspace too.
Benefits of reporting workplace incidents
There are numerous benefits to ensuring a robust incident report process is in place from both an ethical and legal standpoint. The most obvious benefit is that documenting what went wrong can help prevent it from happening again. Proper reporting can identify patterns and causes, allowing businesses to prevent them.
RIDDOR, as we mentioned, is the legal requirement for workplace reporting and keeping in line with this can stop legal issues arising or fines being issued.
Ethically, reporting incidents fosters a safety-first culture in a business where workers take this seriously and are aware of how to prevent future accidents. Additionally, knowing a business takes accidents seriously improves employees’ morale and trust that their bosses are doing the right thing.
The four steps to creating an effective incident report
So now you know what a report is and the laws that govern it, how do you go about writing one? There are four key steps.
- Take action: The moment an incident occurs employees should notify their managers. Before a report is even considered proper medical treatment (if needed) should be prescribed.
- Collect facts: Once treatment has been administered and the immediate danger is over, collect information while it is still fresh in everyone’s minds. Facts such as when it happened, who was affected, who saw it, the wider context and the actions of those before and during the incident.
- Analyse: Using the facts, spend time with management to determine how and why it happened. This is the step where you identify the root cause.
- Prevent further issues: Called a Corrective Action Plan, this document will provide recommendations on how to reduce a recurrence of this incident.
Now, you’re ready to report
With all this information you’re now ready to report accurately on any incidents that may occur in future.
You May Also Like: Smart Office Planning for the Modern Workplace
