What are the steps to report a workplace safety incident?

1 Identify the incident

The first step is to identify what type of incident occurred, such as a slip, fall, cut, burn, electric shock, exposure to hazardous substances, or violence. You should also check if anyone is injured or needs medical attention, and call for help if necessary. If you are the injured person, try to move away from the hazard and seek first aid.

4 Learn from the incident

The fourth step is to learn from the incident and improve your workplace safety culture. You should review the lessons learned from the incident and apply them to your work practices, policies, and procedures. You should also participate in any training, education, or awareness programs that may be offered by your workplace or external sources, such as the National Safety Council (NSC) or the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP). You should also share your feedback, suggestions, or concerns with your supervisor, manager, or safety officer, and encourage your co-workers to do the same.

5 Support yourself and others

The fifth step is to support yourself and others who may be affected by the incident. You should take care of your physical and mental health, and seek professional help if you experience any symptoms of stress, anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). You should also support your co-workers who may be injured, traumatized, or grieving, and offer them your empathy, compassion, or assistance. You should also acknowledge and appreciate the efforts of your supervisor, manager, or safety officer, and the emergency responders, health care providers, or counselors who helped you during and after the incident.

6 Review your workplace safety plan

The sixth and final step in workplace safety is to review your safety plan and ensure it is up to date, comprehensive, and effective. This document should outline the goals, objectives, strategies, and responsibilities for maintaining a safe and healthy work environment. It should include a safety policy and vision statement, a safety committee and its roles and functions, a hazard identification and risk assessment process, a safety training and education program, a safety inspection and audit program, a safety communication and feedback system, a safety recognition and reward system, as well as a safety emergency and contingency plan. It is important to become familiar with your workplace safety plan and follow it at all times. Additionally, you should contribute to its development, implementation, evaluation, and improvement. If you encounter any gaps, issues or challenges in your workplace safety plan, you should report them and suggest solutions or best practices. Reporting an incident is not only legally required but also morally necessary to protect yourself and others from harm while promoting an overall positive workplace safety culture.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?