As long as things are working out for us, we are usually satisfied and peaceful. Even if you are someone who is extremely cautious, prudent and safe, and takes pride in the safety of your work environment, it takes only one wrong step at one wrong moment to cause a workplace accident or injury. It is therefore important to know how to file a workplace incident report.
Once an employee gets injured, the situation can be disastrous for both the company and the employer. It is therefore important to know how a comprehensive workplace incident report looks like, and how one should take steps to mitigate issues and address concerns as soon as possible. It is usually recommended that the workplace incident report be filed within a 24 hour period of the accident occurring.
What exactly is a workplace incident report?
If an incident has occurred that involves either an accident that occurred at your workplace, any sort of illnesses or damages, or injuries, an incident report which is filed is termed as a workplace incident report. Sometimes, even “near misses” such as a near miss of an injury in a manufacturing plant are also recorded in order to avoid the same accident from occurring another time.
Therefore, simply put, a workplace incident report is a report that captures all the details of an incident that has occurred in the workplace.
What should I keep in mind while filing a workplace incident report?
Here are some of the key aspects that you should consider and keep in mind while filing a workplace incident report.
- Ensure that you capture all details appropriately: The report should be written in a manner that is factual, unbiased and clear. A person who is reading the report should be able to glean the nature of the incident, and be able to understand how to mitigate possible risks from the incident occurring again in the future. Therefore, even details that you consider immaterial may prove to be important. It is hence recommended that all details are appropriately captured.
- Easy to understand, appropriate language must be used: While it may not be possible to switch technical terms for other terms, it is important to make sure that the report is not extremely verbose or complicated to understand. It is recommended that simple clear language be used, such that the person reading it is able to understand what has happened without spending too much time or effort. Clarity is another important aspect of writing the report.
- Chronological order: While different organizations have different methods of filing a workplace incident report, it is typically recommended that the report being written in a chronological manner to improve lucidity.
Why should I file a workplace incident report?
There are multiple advantages of filing a workplace incident report. The first and most important advantage is that it creates awareness about the incident that has occurred and people can take steps to ensure that such an incident does not happen again. Secondly, it improves safety and discourages improper handling of equipment.
