How to Write an Incident Report (With Examples)

According to research on safety management among nurses (in hospital settings), "Despite 94.8% of registered nurses being aware of incident reporting systems, only 32% reported an incident in a month, indicating a critical gap between awareness and practical reporting practices in healthcare institutions."

It can drive severe consequences for overall safety in a workspace and shows that mastering the art of incident reporting is fundamentally integral to the effectiveness of your workplace safety and risk mitigation.

In this guide, you’ll learn the keys to:

• Optimizing the incident reporting process
• Crafting a detailed incident report
• Understanding the core elements of effective reporting
• Writing a compelling and structured narrative
• Adapting examples of incident reports for clarity
• How to find incident report forms tailored to your sector
• How the newest incident reporting software can change your approach

Equip yourself with the knowledge and the tools to transform your incident reporting from tedious form completion to a smart working environment. From basic principles to safety incident management software, your incident reporting toolkit is right here.

Incident Report And Its Purpose

An incident report is a formal written document that serves as a reference when an unexpected event or accident occurs. This event could result in injury, damage to property, or work interruptions.

The main purposes of an incident report are to:

• Capture key details of what happened while events are still fresh in witnesses’ minds. It is the document of who, what, when, where, injuries/damage sustained, equipment/property affected, actions taken, and more.

• Allow a thorough investigation of the root causes and contributing factors that culminated in the incident. The more thorough your report, the more insight it provides on how and why the incident transpired.

• Identify any safety or operational policies violated that were part of the incident. It reveals if any protocols were not followed or were overlooked altogether.

• Inform subsequent action to prevent any similar incidents from occurring in the future. It will help management to see where they need to make improvements in processes, training equipment, policies, facilities, etc.

[YOU CAN ALSO DOWNLOAD THIS FREE GUIDE TO EFFECTIVE WORKPLACE INCIDENT REPORTING]

The Comprehensive Incident Reporting Guide

Core Components of an Effective Incident Report

Fundamental Information

The fundamental information outlined in an incident report includes:

• Type: Categorizing the incident provides a point of reference. Common types include injuries, property damage, security incidents, workplace violence, environmental problems, privacy breaches, and more.
• Location, date and time: The “where and when” of any incident is a must. Be as specific as you can with location, and with date and time.
• Names of individuals involved: List all people involved in the incident. Give the full name and any title or role, i.e., Robert Patterson, Security Guard. If there were injuries, list the person who was injured and list witnesses with their titles or roles, i.e. Alice Lansing, Accountant.
• Injuries sustained: Include a list of injuries, first aid that might have been administered, and any medical treatment. No injuries? State, "No injuries were sustained."

Specific Details

The specifics of an incident report provide important context:

• Equipment involved: Make a note of any tools, machinery, materials, chemicals or other equipment involved in the incident. Include the manufacturer, model number if it applies, and precise details of how the equipment was being used.
• Events leading up to the incident: The reconstruction of events can offer a number of insights into causes. Provide a concise chronological sequence of events leading up to the incident.
• Account of the incident: A detailed, chronological narrative of the incident itself will bring the incident to life. Use precise, objective language, quoting any witness statements where relevant.
• Subsequent events: Make a note of any actions that were taken after the incident, such as first aid, medical treatment, notification of the appropriate authorities, or checks for any damage or maintenance required on the equipment involved.

This leads to a basic account combined with vivid detail, making a full and useful incident report. The combination allows for the causes to be properly investigated and for the incident to be the basis for preventing similar eventualities.

Crafting an Effective Incident Report

A narrative structure is essential while writing an incident report. Organize the report into three basic sections:

Introduction

Who, what, where, and when should be answered in the introduction. As an example:

“Jane Doe, an ABC Company cashier, was involved in an incident around 10:15 am on Tuesday, March 1, 2022. The incident occurred in the company's headquarters breakroom at 123 Main St, Anytown, USA."

From here, we know that Jane Doe was involved, an event occurred, on Tuesday, March 1st, 2022, at 10:15 am, and in the breakroom at 123 Main St. It shows how this introduction sets the background for the report.

Body

The body details the incident from beginning to end. It includes all relevant occurrences before, during, and after the incident.

As an example:

“Jane Doe walked into the breakroom and made her coffee at the coffee maker. As she reached for the coffee pot, she slipped on a puddle liquid and fell to the ground. The coffee pot struck her right calf and shattered. Jane Doe screamed out in pain with the fall.”

The body reaffirms who, what, where, and when, as well as the chronology.

Conclusion

The conclusion describes the resolution of the incident as well as key findings. As an example:

“Emergency services were called at 10:18 am. Jane Doe was removed by ambulance to Riverdale Hospital for a laceration of her right leg. She received 12 stitches. The broken coffee pot was cleaned and thrown away. Facilities were made aware and requested to keep a supply of Wet Floor signs positioned near breakroom spills.”

In the conclusion, the resolution and incident investigation recommendations are briefly stated to bring the matter to a close.

This introduction-body-conclusion structure makes incident reports logical and complete and makes them easy to understand. A story that winds its way to a conclusion makes a whole lot more sense.

Incident Report Example – How To Write It?

Here’s how an incident report will be written for “Main Office Security Incident - Unauthorized Entry Attempt”:

Type: Security Incident
Location, Date, Time: Main Office, January 28, 2022, 10:30 AM
Names of Individuals Involved:
Robert Patterson (Security Guard)Alice Lansing (Accountant)
Injuries Sustained:
Robert Patterson: NoneAlice Lansing: Bruised thigh
At 10:30 AM, January 28, 2022, a security incident occurred in the main office. Robert Patterson, the diligent security guard, and Alice Lansing, an accountant were involved. The incident that occurred was an unauthorized entry attempt.Someone tried to break into the main office. Security guard, Robert Patterson, spotted the intruder. Patterson quickly approached the would-be intruder and verbally discouraged him. Accountant, Alice Lansing, who was in the vicinity, as she tried to make a run for it, she injured her thigh. She’s going to be fine, after immediate emergency help. The invader did not physically assault security guard, Robert Patterson, who was not hurt.The manager’s office was alerted to the attempted unauthorized entry and the security guard’s intervention, immediately.

(This Incident report is vital, because it captures the security event and can be reviewed to make future security improvements.)

Other Examples Of Incident Reports [Manufacturing And Mining Industry]

Manufacturing Industry Incident Report Example:

Type: Equipment Malfunction
Location, Date, Time: Factory Floor, XYZ Manufacturing, March 15, 2022, 3:45 PM
Names of Individuals Involved:
John Miller (Machine Operator)Sarah Thompson (Supervisor)
Injuries Sustained:
John Miller: Minor cuts on hands due to malfunctioning machinery.
At approximately 3:45 pm on March 15, 202, an incident occurred on the factory floor of XYZ Manufacturing. Machine Operator, John Miller, who was working on the CNC machine (Model: AlphaTech-500) producing brake parts, received minor cuts to his hands when the unit unexpectedly malfunctioned. Upon notification Supervisor, Sarah Thompson arrived on the scene, applying first aid to Miller, as she simultaneously informed the second shift manager of the incident. The affected equipment was shut down, received a maintenance tag, and was put out of service pending inspection. There were no further injuries reported in connection with the incident.Subsequent investigation revealed the cause of the incident was a software glitch, and included corrective action for same: software updates, etc. Additional corrective action, also initiated, includes additional training for machine operators.

Mining Industry Incident Report Example:

Type: Rockfall
Location, Date, Time: Quarry Site A, ABC Mining, March 20, 2022, 10:00 AM
Names of Individuals Involved:
Michael Turner (Driller)Emma Rodriguez (Safety Officer)
Injuries Sustained:
Michael Turner: Bruised shoulder and minor abrasions.
At 10:00 AM on March 20, 2022, Driller Michael Turner was injured during the excavation of a rockfall at Quarry Site A of ABC Mining.
Safety Officer Emma Rodriguez immediately activated the emergency response procedures, securing the area and requesting medical assistance. Michael was promptly treated by the duty nurse, and then transferred to the on-site medical facility for further assessment. Subsequent investigation revealed that a section of the rock face collapsed unexpectedly due to geological instability.
Corrective measures taken included reinforcing safe work procedures for excavation activities and conducting a comprehensive geological survey in vulnerable locations before drilling activities.

Incident Report Forms (For Different Organizations)

Reporting incident forms are the usual medium used to document incidents. They are tailored to the sector and the organization, so incident report forms differ. Here are a few examples:

General Staff Incident Report

These generic staff or personnel incident reports are employed by many businesses to log employee, customer, and visitor incidents. A general staff incident report generally includes:

• Person’s name and contact details
• Incident Time, date, and site
• Pertinent details about what happened
• Kind of injury or damage
• Name of witnesses
• Safety measures taken Suggestions for prevention

Here’s what a normal general staff incident report looks like:

Incident Report Construction Site

Construction job site safety guarantees in-depth incident reporting. Construction incident reports include particulars, for example:

• Name and role of person injured or involved
• Date, time, exact location, and description of incident
• Type of injury or illness sustained
• Equipment, materials, or chemicals involved
• Actions taken following the incident
• Suggestions to improve safety and prevent recurrences

A normally used construction site incident form looks like this:

Hospital/clinic Incident Report

Healthcare utilizes unique incident report forms to describe patient care, medical therapy, pharmaceutical errors, laboratory mishaps, confidentiality breaches, and a whole lot more. A healthcare facility or hospital might have an incident report that includes:

• Patient safety incidents, falls, infections, or privacy breaches
• Medication errors or equipment malfunctions
• Workplace injuries to staff
• Security issues, theft, property damage, or vandalism

Here’s a sample of patient incident report form usually used in clinical settings:

Incident Reporting Software For Smarter Workplace Management - SafetyIQ

SafetyIQ is an advanced incident reporting software that transforms incident reporting by providing a sleek, user-friendly platform that sets new industry standards for workplace safety.

Emerging as the leading incident reporting solution, SafetyIQ is redefining workplace safety with a variety of next-generation features and comprehensive free guides.

Take a closer look at the key features of this tool:

• Effortless Incident Reporting: The platform simplifies and centralizes the incident reporting process, allowing users to submit full-featured incident reports – complete with multimedia documentation – with minimal effort.
• Customization for Unique Needs: SafetyIQ tailors incident report forms to meet the unique requirements of each organization, expediting incident data capture and analysis in the process.
• Proactive Safety Measures: This platform is a host of specialized solutions for managing high-risk scenarios – Journey Management, Lone Worker Management, Fatigue Management, and beyond. It helps steer organizations beyond compliance and toward a proactive culture of safety.
• Real-time Insights and Analysis: Organizations enjoy a comprehensive suite of reporting dashboards that reveal the hidden safety performance insights within their data in real-time, featuring color-coded charts and infographics that allow for rapid identification of movements.
• User-Centric Design: The entire solution is designed with an emphasis on the end user, prioritizing a clean, user-friendly interface for both field workers submitting incidents and the managers analyzing the safety trends within their organization.

This software turns incident reporting into the beginning of a proactive safety culture by equipping organizations with the resources they need to put in place world-class safety practices continually. With its ability to assign corrective actions based on a data-driven approach, SafetyIQ is the best solution for workplace management and safety.

FAQs - Get More Answers Here!

What is incident reporting software and why is it critical for businesses?

Incident reporting software is a tool designed to streamline the documentation of untoward events or accidents in a business or workplace, which is crucial for reference, investigation, and informing corrective actions. It ensures a systematic approach to safety incident management.

How does SafetyIQ provide live incident reports?

SafetyIQ allows live incident reporting through its user-friendly platform, enabling real-time submission of multimedia-rich incident reports for immediate documentation and analysis of safety incidents.

Can I find incident report templates in SafetyIQ?

SafetyIQ offers incident report templates that capture the critical information followed through a structured format, enabling consistency and completeness in incident documentation.

How user-friendly is the system for incident reporting and management?

SafetyIQ has a user-centric design from the bottom up for an intuitive user experience that makes it easy for field workers to submit live incident reports and managers to analyze safety trends and overall enhance the incident reporting and management process.

How simple is it to create a live incident report?

Live incident reporting is simple and easy with the online platform. It enables the convenient and immediate submission of data-rich incident reports in real-time. Companies can customize the tool features to support unique requirements and enable proactive safety measures.