All workplace incidents, accidents, and near-misses must be investigated and recorded using an incident report form. Major incidents (as per Section 24 of the OHS Act) must be reported to the Department of Employment and Labour (DoEL).
Investigating, recording, and reporting workplace incidents is an important part of maintaining compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act 85 of 1993. In addition, investigating incidents to determine their root cause is critical to preventing future accidents and improving workplace health and safety.
In this guide, we explain how to write a workplace incident report, specifying the information you should include and providing an example of an incident report format.
What is a workplace incident report?
A workplace incident report is a formal document used to record the details of an accident, incident, injury, or near-miss in the workplace.
The purpose of an incident report is to:
- Document what happened
- Identify the root cause of the incident
- Recommend corrective actions to prevent recurrence
Which workplace incidents should be reported?
Report internally:
Section 14 of the OHS Act states that employees have a legal duty to report the occurrence of any incident to a Health and Safety Representative or the employer as soon as possible after the incident has taken place. All workplace incidents, including minor injuries and near-misses, should then be internally investigated and formally reported to the Health and Safety Committee and company management.
Report to the Department of Employment and Labour (DoEL):
Section 24 of the OHS Act outlines which incidents are legally required to be reported to a DoEL inspector. An employer is legally required to report to the inspector any incident in which:
- Someone died or is injured so severely they are likely to die
- Someone lost consciousness
- Someone lost a limb or suffered a permanent physical defect or disability
- Someone was injured such that they will be unable to work for at least 14 days
- A major incident occurred
- A dangerous substance was spilled
- The uncontrolled release of a dangerous substance under pressure took place
- Machinery or a part thereof malfunctioned such that objects when flying or falling
- Machinery ran out of control
Employers are required to report an incident of this nature to the inspector within seven days of the incident occurring.
What information should be included in a workplace incident report?
A workplace incident report should contain information gathered through a logical, structured, and thorough incident investigation.
1. Record the basic details of the incident
- Date and time of the incident
- Location
- Names of injured persons
- Names of witnesses
2. Describe what happened
- What task was being performed?
- What led up to the incident?
- What exactly occurred?
3. Identify injuries or damage
- Type of injury sustained
- Severity of injury
- Equipment or property damage
4. Determine the root cause
Identifying the root cause of the incident is one of the most important aspects of an incident investigation and this must be recorded in the incident report. Clearly state what caused the incident, including:
- Unsafe acts
- Unsafe conditions
- Failures in procedures or training
5. Recommend corrective measures
The ultimate aim of incident investigation and incident reporting is to implement corrective measures so that the same incident does not reoccur. Based on your findings regarding the root cause of the incident, include recommendations for:
- Immediate corrective actions
- Preventative measures
- Training or procedural improvements
6. Include supporting evidence
- Photos/videos of the incident and scene
- Witness statements
- Medical reports
7. Submit and communicate the report
- For incidents that are legally reportable under Section 24 of the OHS Act, employers should submit an incident report form (such as Annexure 1) to the DoEL inspector.
- Minor incident reports should be submitted internally to management and the Health and Safety Committee.
What is Annexure 1 and when is it required?
Annexure 1 is the incident report format recommended by the Department of Employment and Labour. It can be found in the General Administrative Regulations of the OHS Act. Annexure 1 can be used as an internal workplace incident report form as well as the official incident report submitted to the inspector for reportable incidents.
ANNEXURE 1
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT, 1993
(ACT NO. 85 OF 1993)
REGULATION 9 OF THE GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS
RECORDING AND INVESTIGATION OF INCIDENTS
| A. RECORDING OF INCIDENT | |||||
| 1. Name of employer………………………………………………………………………………. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………. | |||||
| 2. Name of affected person…………………………………………………………………….. | |||||
| 3. Identity number of affected person……………………………………………………… | |||||
| 4. Date of incident………………………………………………5. Time of incident……………………..……………………………… | |||||
| 6. Part of body affected | Head or neck | Eye | Trunk | Finger | Hand |
| Arm | Foot | Leg | Internal | Multiple | |
| 7. Effect on person | Sprains or strains | Contusion or wounds | Fractures | Burns | Amputation |
| Electric shock | Asphyxiation | Unconsciousness | Poisoning | Occupational disease |
| 8. Expected period of disablement | 0 – 13 days | 2 – 4 weeks | 4 – 16 weeks | 16 – 52 weeks | >52 weeks or permanent disable-ment | Killed |
| 9. Description of occupational disease…………………………………………………………………………………………………. | ||||||
| 10. Machine/process involved/type of work performed/exposure** …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… | ||||||
| 11. Was the incident reported to the Compensation Commissioner and the Provincial Director? | ||||||
| Yes | No | |||||
| 12. Was the incident reported to the police?* | ||||||
| Yes | No | |||||
| 13. SAPS office and reference ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… | ||||||
| * To be completed in case of a fatal incident. | ||||||
| ** In case of a hazardous chemical substance, indicate substance exposed to. | ||||||
| B. INVESTIGATION OF THE ABOVE INCIDENT BY A PERSON DESIGNATED THERETO | ||||||
| 1. Name of investigator……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. | ||||||
| 2. Date of investigation………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. | ||||||
| 3. Designation of investigator……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… | ||||||
| 4. Short description of incident ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. | ||||||
| 5. Suspected cause of incident ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….………………………………………………………………………………. | ||||||
| 6. Recommended steps to prevent a reoccurrence …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… | ||||||
| Signature of investigator | Date | |||||
| C. ACTION TAKEN BY EMPLOYER TO PREVENT THE REOCCURRENCE OF A SIMILAR INCIDENT | ||
| ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… | ||
| Signature of employer | Date | |
| D. REMARKS BY HEALTH AND SAFETY COMMITTEE | ||
| Remarks ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..……………………………………………………………………………………………………… | ||
| Signature of Chairman of Health and Safety Committee | Date | |
Why incident investigation and incident reporting is important
Investigating and reporting workplace incidents is a key part of maintaining a safe and legally compliant work environment. Incident investigation assists organisations to:
- Identify unsafe act and conditions
- Prevent repeat incidents
- Meet legal compliance requirements under the OHS Act
- Improve workplace health and safety systems
Improve your workplace health and safety systems with accredited incident investigation training
Our one-day Incident Investigation course teaches delegates how to thoroughly investigate workplace incidents and accidents, including how to complete incident report forms. Our training covers:
- Legal requirements around investigating and reporting incidents under the OHS Act
- The Incident Investigator role and appointment letter
- Incident causation
- Unsafe acts and conditions
- The nine steps of the incident investigation process
- Witness interview methods
- Evidence collection methods
- Risk control measures
- Follow up
Contact us to find out more about Incident Investigation training or book your spot now.