Workplace Injury Report: 7 Steps to Follow When Creating One

1. Ensure Prompt Medical Attention: Treating the injured worker is the first step in case of an incident at work. And since most factories are situated remotely, it is advisable to avail of doctor triage services first without sending the employee to the emergency room (ER) right away. Licensed physicians can assess the injury over telephone or video calls and recommend personalized treatment that can be handled onsite. This way, the patient won’t need to travel far and you will be able to save on ER costs as well as keep Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recordable incidents low.
2. Keep the Incident Site Secure: Reporting injuries at work accurately means securing the site and preserving evidence. Make sure nothing is tampered and take as many photos as possible as evidence. 
3. Gather Basic Information: Note essential details like the type of injury, whether it was non-fatal or fatal, the date and time of the occurrence, and if there was any property or machinery damage. Also, record the task that the employee was engaged in at the time and the environment (workstation, climate, availability of light, etc.). 

Noting patient information is another vital aspect of filing an employee workplace incident report. Note the details of the injury sustained and symptoms and take photographs, as well. Record the employee’s name, job title, shift, hours worked, gender, time spent in your company, total number of years employed, qualifications, training, and contact number.

1. Talk to Witnesses: A workplace injury report can be more informative and valuable when it includes witness statements. So, jot down the names of those who were present at the time of the incident and ask what they saw or heard. Try to find out exactly how the injury occurred and if the worker was negligent in any way. Also ask if there were any structural or machinery-related issues they noticed. Get witnesses to sign against their statements.
2. Complete and Submit the Report: Once you have gathered all relevant details, fill in your standard report form for workplace incidents. Try to do it right after the incident so there is minimal bias and maximum accuracy. Then, share the same with the authorities and make sure all involved parties go through and sign the report.

After you report an incident at work, a follow-up investigation takes place to identify the cause behind the occurrence and potential dangers at the site. Witness statements are studied and equipment as well as safety processes are examined.

1. Take Remedial Action: Based on the investigation, you need to implement corrective measures that help in preventing similar mishaps in the future. You might have to make changes to the worksite, fix machineries, revise safety rules, or update worker training.  
2. Close the Report: Once all the above is done, it’s time to close the workplace injury report. Gather comments from investigating authorities and ensure that someone from the upper management signs on the same. This will validate the authenticity of the report and the information contained.