When Is It Necessary To Use an Incident Report?
Managers should advise workers to fill out an incident report whenever there is an event that results in a worker sustaining a serious or nonserious injury. An incident report is also an important way to document events that cause any type of damage to property such as equipment, materials, or a vehicle.
For example, a worker who is injured using equipment at a production facility should complete an incident report after he has received medical treatment. Even if just one worker is involved in an incident and it was the result of his error or oversight, it is advisable that managers require the worker to document what happened.
In addition, many companies can benefit from using incident reports for any type of event that involves conduct within the workplace that deviates from company policies or could potentially create an unsafe working environment. This type of incident reporting is important for responding to unsafe working conditions, taking disciplinary action against an employee, and effectively training staff about expectations regarding their conduct in the workplace.