How can you make workplace safety incident reports accessible to all employees?

1 Use a standard format

Using a standard format for your workplace safety incident reports can help you create consistent and clear documents that are easy to read and understand. A standard format can also help you collect the relevant information, such as the date, time, location, description, causes, actions, and witnesses of the incident. You can use templates, checklists, or forms to create your standard format, or you can use online tools that automate the process and store the reports securely.

2 Make the reports digital

Making your workplace safety incident reports digital can help you improve the accessibility and efficiency of your reporting system. Digital reports can be accessed from any device, anywhere, and anytime, which is especially useful for remote workers or workers who travel frequently. Digital reports can also be easily searched, sorted, filtered, and analyzed, which can help you identify trends, patterns, and areas for improvement. You can use cloud-based platforms, apps, or software to create and manage your digital reports, or you can use email or online forms to submit and receive them.

3 Provide translations

Providing translations for your workplace safety incident reports can help you communicate effectively with your employees who speak different languages. Translations can help you ensure that your employees understand the importance of reporting incidents, the procedures and policies involved, and the actions and outcomes of the reports. Translations can also help you avoid misunderstandings, errors, or omissions that could compromise the accuracy and completeness of the reports. You can use professional translators, bilingual staff, or online tools to translate your reports, or you can use multilingual templates or forms to create them.

4 Use plain language

Using plain language for your workplace safety incident reports can help you make them accessible and understandable to all employees, regardless of their literacy level, education, or background. Plain language is clear, concise, and direct, and avoids jargon, technical terms, or complex sentences. Using plain language can help you convey the essential information, avoid confusion or ambiguity, and encourage participation and feedback. You can use plain language guidelines, resources, or tools to write your reports, or you can use readability tests or feedback to check them.

6 Ensure accessibility features

Ensuring accessibility features for your workplace safety incident reports can help you accommodate the needs and preferences of your employees who have disabilities or impairments. Accessibility features can help you make your reports readable, audible, or navigable, depending on the type and degree of disability or impairment. Accessibility features can also help you comply with legal or ethical standards and promote diversity and inclusion. You can use fonts, colors, contrast, spacing, or headings to ensure readability, audio, captions, or transcripts to ensure audibility, or keyboard, mouse, or voice commands to ensure navigability.

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?