What are the Main Stages and Processes of Incident Reporting?

Robust incident reporting is an effective tool to promote health and safety across all company operations. When field teams understand how to document an unplanned event professionally and effectively, leadership can take proactive steps to foster a safer environment. By implementing an efficient incident reporting workflow, organizations can capture relevant details immediately, allowing them to mitigate safety risks and protect their workers. 

Here are the main stages and processes to consider for effective incident management: 

1. Initial Response and Disclosure 

The process of managing incidents must begin as soon as an unplanned event or near miss occurs. The field team’s initial emergency response process should include administering necessary medical aid, containing spills, and contacting authorities if needed to ensure the safety of everyone on site.

Once an incident is reported internally, the supervisor must notify the leadership team so they can initiate formal risk management protocols. Leadership will confirm that other team members have left the danger zone and are out of harm’s way before formal documentation begins.

2. Preserve and Document the Scene 

Accurate incident management relies on gathering relevant details about the incident immediately after it happens. Once the site is secured and hazards are contained, teams must preserve the scene and record environmental variables using mobile devices to capture photographs and videos.

To ensure a thorough investigation, documentation should occur before equipment or materials are moved for cleanup. This ensures the company captures a clear picture of the factors that led to the incident. Key details to document include: 

1. Equipment involved in the incident
2. Cleanliness of the area and obvious hazards (e.g., leaks, debris)
3. Weather conditions 
4. Lighting and noise
5. The presence or lack of safety guards and protective gear 
6. General location, date, and time of the incident

3. Gather Witness Testimony 

Interviewing witnesses in a timely manner is a critical component of a robust incident reporting system. Supervisors should gather statements promptly before memories fade or are influenced by outside discussions. This stage is vital to understanding the incident from multiple viewpoints. 

To maximize the impact of witness interviews: 

• When possible, conduct your interviews at the scene of the incident to help witnesses remember some of the more minute details of the incident. 
• Assure witnesses that your job is to gather information and not to place blame. Emphasize that their honesty is crucial to the safety of the workplace and that incident reporting helps to prevent future accidents.
• Allow witnesses time to think and retell the incident. Ask open-ended questions. 
• Interview witnesses privately. This gives them the opportunity to recall their own memories of the event and not fall under the influence of another witness’s testimony. 

You should record all this information as thoroughly as possible. In addition to written notes, consider using an audio recorder or filming witness interviews so you don’t miss any crucial details.

It’s best to discuss interview methods with supervisors or leadership before you begin. After an incident, workers might be afraid of providing their testimony, so you will want to make sure they feel safe and supported throughout the process.

4. Complete the Form 

Once all information is compiled, the team must submit a formal report into the incident management system. Regulatory bodies like OSHA require companies to document workplace injuries, illnesses, and near-miss safety incidents. Utilizing a digital form ensures that all mandatory fields are completed accurately, fulfilling risk management and compliance guidelines.

5. Report to Regulatory Authorities 

In certain cases, you will need to submit the report to the appropriate authorities once the report has been completed. For example, this would apply in instances where there’s been a fatality, a hazardous spill, or any other major event where there are statutory requirements for you to disclose this information to the proper authorities. 

6. Execute a Thorough Investigation and Root Cause Analysis  

After you file your incident report, you now must work to determine how and why the incident occurred in the first place. This process of investigating a workplace incident is often referred to as a root cause analysis.

You or your investigative team will need to conduct a root cause analysis to locate the gaps in your safety protocols and systems so that you can determine the “root causes” of an incident. OSHA provides a helpful guide for determining the root causes of an incident and this guide outlines helpful questions to ask when executing your investigation.

This guide can help you to consider the incident from multiple viewpoints and ensure you are performing a thorough examination of the incident. 

7. Implement Corrective Actions and Controls

Once the investigation has been completed, you can start to take steps to prevent a similar incident from occurring again in the future. Your team can implement the corrective actions that are needed to cultivate a culture of workplace safety that’s in the best interest of the organization and its employees. 

These actions taken or proposed might include:

• Updating the company’s localized safety guidelines 
• Mandating targeted training for specialized equipment use 
• Introducing enhanced administrative controls or superior protective gear 
• Adjusting daily operational workflows to eliminate the hazard entirely  

Drive Continuous Improvement With Fleet Data Insights 

Incident reports are an important part of creating a safe and productive workplace for all your team members. When you take the necessary steps to complete the incident reports, you’re enabling the company to take the appropriate corrective actions, and this will allow the company to be more prepared going forward. At the end of the day, it’s all about doing everything you can to foster a safer working environment for everyone.

Incident Management With GoCanvas

GoCanvas® empowers field teams to work smarter and faster by replacing paperwork with mobile forms and connected workflows that link the field and office in real time. Instead of relying on slow, error-prone paper logs, GoCanvas provides a digital incident management system that allows your team to capture data, upload photos, and notify stakeholders instantly. 

With customizable safety templates, your organization can standardize its incident management process, ensure compliance, and capture the insights needed to keep incidents from happening in the future. 

Ready to modernize your safety workflows and eliminate manual paperwork?