Report All Injuries Toolbox Talk

Incident & Near Miss Reporting Safety Talk

Have you ever gotten injured on the job? Did you report it? Many times the minor injuries that need the attention of a first aid kit are not reported.

There are many valid reasons that your work needs you to report these instances and even near-misses. All employees should better understand the importance of accident reporting. Then you might be more likely to make the necessary incident and near-miss reports.

The Many Reasons Incident Reports Aren’t Made

Workers don’t report incidents that occur for a number of different reasons. When you have to admit your fault or involvement in certain situations, it can be difficult. You would rather leave things unresolved than file a report. Some of the many reasons incident reports go unreported are:

• Embarrassed

• Afraid of discipline

• Unsure of the outcome

• What fellow employees will think

• Unsure of repercussions

• Don’t want to bother with paperwork

It is important for the business and yourself to make incident reports. Don’t worry about what the others think or say. Employees should take responsibility and the right steps for serious situations.

The Importance Of Making Incident Reports

Reporting an incident isn’t just for the present situation, but for the ones in the future as well. You may feel that it is a hassle to report it and fill out all the necessary paperwork. But, it could be what needs to be done to fix the hazardous condition that caused the incident.

When injuries occur while you are working, it brings awareness to the people in charge as well. They can take note of hazardous conditions that need to be addressed. That may mean bringing it to other people's attention so that no one else gets hurt, or if it is to resolve a problem.

Report To A Safety Representative or Supervisor

No matter how minor you feel the situation is, report the injury when one occurs. It is important for other people other than just yourself. Make the right person aware of the situation and have the injury looked at. Examples of why you should tell someone about minor problems that you think aren’t a big deal is:

• A spider bite - a spider bite can be completely innocent. Then there are times that it can cause problems for you. What if it gets infected? What if you are allergic? What if it was poisonous? There are so many different things that can happen. That is why you should make a supervisor or medical representative aware of the problem.

• A bee sting - many people are allergic to bees and wasps. Sometimes you don’t know that you are allergic until it happens. Allergic reactions can present themselves with crying symptoms. You could have trouble breathing or break out in hives. A situation that requires medical attention while on the job needs an injury report.

OSHA Recordable Injury

If you don’t report incidents at work when they happen, it can cause problems when you go to receive medical help. It is an OSHA recordable injury if you are needing medical attention outside of basic first aid. Not reporting the incident while you were at work has now made this situation a bit tricky. Some of the reasons why are:

• In order to claim the injury as a work-related one, you will need to report it when it happens. By not reporting it, you are causing some gaps in communication. Your employer is having to determine if this is a legitimate claim or not. By reporting these things as they happen, you can eliminate this type of confusion.

• A minor instance can turn into a big one in a short amount of time. For example, an allergic reaction. These can vary from something small to something very serious. If you report the problem when it happens, you can get information on signs to watch for. To be safe in case you have an allergic reaction.

What Incidents Need To Be Reported

Incident reports should be made for the minor and the big incidents that occur. So many times people would prefer not to admit these faults than make a report. All things that occur while on the job need to be addressed properly. Even the things such as:

• Property damage

• Spills

• Near misses

• Injuries

• Stings and bites

• Cuts, strains, and sprains

• Broken bones

• Head injuries

What Happens If I Don’t Report An Injury

You can’t get into trouble for not reporting an injury while on the job. The biggest problem is if you need to seek medical attention outside of basic first aid. If there isn’t an incident report made, then you can be denied coverage for medical services.

Why Near Misses Need To Be Reported

Many people are unsure of why a near-miss incident needs to be reported. You weren’t actually hurt, so why does a report need to be made. This near-miss incident is going to be used as more of a learning one. Just because it nearly missed you, doesn’t mean it will for the next employee.

The right measures can be made to eliminate the hazard and not let it happen again. Then it can also be brought up to the team's attention so injuries don’t actually occur. An incident occurring is often what it takes to make everyone aware of the seriousness that there is.

Step Up and Report All Injuries or Problems

No matter how embarrassed or bad you feel about reporting a problem, you should step up and do it. It could be a great lesson learned for you and your fellow co-workers. Accidents happen, it is how we deal with them that really matters.

Minor problems can turn into big ones in a matter of minutes. Be safe and take the right steps to protect yourself. You can avoid having to make an OSHA recordable report. By reporting to your medical advisor or supervisor immediately.

Who Do I Report Injuries To

If you are unsure of who you are supposed to inform an injury or near miss report to, ask your supervisor. If there is a medical advisor, you will most likely report to them. Otherwise, the supervisor can point you in the right direction.