GUIDELINES TO ACCIDENT, INCIDENT AND NEAR MISS REPORTING

Purpose
The purpose of this procedure/guideline is to outline the requirements, methods and outcomes of
reporting all occupational diseases, illnesses, accidents, incidents and near misses.

Scope
The following types of event, injury and/or illnesses will be reported, regardless of the nature or
severity of the event:
▪ Fatality
▪ Critical injury/illness
▪ Lost-time injury/illness
▪ Illness or injury for which an employee receives/seeks medical attention
▪ First aid treatment
▪ Occupational disease
▪ Property damage
▪ Near-miss
▪ Fire
▪ Environmental release
▪ Explosions
▪ Exposures to biological, chemical or physical agents

Roles & Responsibilities

i) Employee
1. An employee who sustains an injury or becomes ill as a result of workplace conditions or
work should first seek medical assistance (first aid) where necessary.
2. The accident/incident/near miss must be verbally reported to a manager/supervisor
immediately (not necessarily their own) of their injury or illness.
3. If, because of the nature of the injury or illness, an employee is unable to report, it is the
responsibility of any other worker to promptly report the occurrence to a
manager/supervisor.
ii) Head of Department/Manager/Supervisor
The head of department/manager/supervisor upon being notified of the injury or illness must:
1. Promptly ensure that first aid is administered by a qualified first aid provider.
2. Ensure the employee is given subsequent medical treatment if necessary, provide
emergency transportation to treatment if necessary; and record any such treatment.
3. Additional rescue/response (fire services rescue) teams are notified as necessary.

If the following occurs, please notify the Health and Safety Unit immediately at 299-0870 ext.
2708:
▪ Amputations
▪ Deep lacerations/cuts requiring medical attention beyond first aid treatment
▪ Loss of vision in one or both eyes
 ▪ Fractures (other than to fingers or toes)
▪ Burns requiring medical attention beyond first aid treatment
▪ A loss of consciousness
▪ Worker admission to a hospital as an in-patient
▪ Any accidental explosion or exposure to a biological, chemical, or physical agent,
whether or not a person is injured
▪ Any catastrophic event or equipment failure that results, or could have results in an
injury.

Protocol in Reporting

Step 1:
An Accident/Incident Reporting Form is to be distributed to the employee to be completed. If the
following occurs:
▪ fatalities,
▪ critical injuries,
▪ lost time,
▪ occupational illness,
▪ property damage,
▪ fire
▪ environmental release

Additionally, a Witness Accident Report Form is to be distributed to any witnesses’, to be

completed. The following forms are attached to this memorandum:
▪ Employee Accident Report Form(to be filled out by the employee/s)
▪ Witness Accident Report Form (to be filled out by witnesses’, if there are any)
▪ Report on Accident To Employee Form (to be filled out by the head of
department/manager/ supervisor)
▪ Employer’s Liability Accident Report Form (to be completed by the head of
department/manager/ supervisor)

Step 2
Ensure the appropriate personnel (head of department/manager/supervisor, occupational health
and safety department, health and safety committee, and the applicable union/employee group) is
notified immediately via telephone, email, fax, or other direct means A written report detailing
what occurred must also be sent within 24 hours because this report needs to be reported to OSHA
within 48 hours of the incident occurring.

Step 3
The head of department/manager/supervisor has to undertake a review investigation into the
accident/incident and document any action or monitoring that is required. As part of the review
investigation, the supervisor may request assistance of the Health and Safety Unit.

Step 4
Once all forms are completed by the relevant persons they are to be forwarded to the Health and
Safety Unit within 24 hours for further investigation to be conducted.