It is important that accidents and near misses are reported.

Accidents and near miss reporting

enables proper first aid treatment to be administrated where injuries are sustained, reducing
the risk of further infection or complication and assisting the recovery process. The reporting of
accidents and near misses also helps to identify hazards that need to be rectified or controlled
to prevent accidents from occurring in the future.
While it is important to report accidents and near misses it is also of equal importance to try to
prevent accidents by planning each job for safety and adopting safe work practices.
The actual investigation is generally carried out by supervisors or personnel who have been
trained for this. Nevertheless, all employees play an important role in the accident prevention
process and in preventing future mishaps. Once employees understand why it's important for
them to report all accidents and near misses, and to cooperate fully with investigations,
management can benefit from their experience and input.

Accident Reporting
All near misses, incidents and accidents should be reported no matter how slight they may
appear. Accidents happen for a reason, it could be machine failure, unsafe work practices or
poor housekeeping, but reporting these occurrences can help identify the cause and help
prevent this accident reoccurring.
Accident reporting varies from organization to organization as procedures are different. Usually
the most effective way of reporting incidents/accidents is through a specific reporting form.
The form should contain a detailed description of the incident, the persons and tasks involved,
injuries obtained, any medical treatment given and witness statements if they are available. If
possible pictures of the scene should also be included.
All reports should be submitted to management as soon as possible so the incident can be
investigated.

Accident Investigation
Accident reporting alone is not enough to prevent a reoccurrence, once reported an accident
must be investigated as soon as possible.
The investigation process should carefully examine all aspects and failures that occurred in
order to establish the root cause of the incident. This is vital to ensure effective and appropriate
controls are put in place to prevent reoccurrence.