Following the report’s introduction and list of equipment mentioned within the report, the steps employees are expected to take should be written in a clear format with each step listed as a heading followed by text explaining how to perform that step. Take notes that will help you begin to construct an outline for your report. If you’re writing a progress report, you can skip this section. Never copy source material word for word. **We have a newer blog post about Writing an Effective Incident Report. Other contributing factors (e.g., burned out light bulb in the area). All of your sources will contain more information than what you need to complete your report. Many teachers require that a report have at least three body paragraphs in addition to the introduction and conclusion. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration publishes accident reports and statistics for a wide range of industries. With some thorough research and by making sure you understand the expectations of the assignment, you can create a great final product without too much stress and heartache. Good grammar, which includes correct word choice and proper punctuation, is important to make your incident report clear, accurate and professional. All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published. Lay out the body of the report. Incident reports also fall into this category. Please consider making a contribution to wikiHow today. Along with the list of equipment discussed in the report, the safety report should include a maintenance schedule for each piece of equipment. Include the time, date, and location of the incident, as well as your name and work ID number and the names of anyone else who was present. Preventing specific types of workplace accidents. For example: Date, time, and specific location of incident You should always paraphrase, or summarize, the information in your own words. Amid the current public health and economic crises, when the world is shifting dramatically and we are all learning and adapting to changes in daily life, people need wikiHow more than ever. To prepare for writing an accident report, you have to gather and record all the facts. As a businessperson, you may routinely write short reports on the activities of your department. A safety report is not a doctoral thesis. This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. Master Life with wikiHow Pro Expert Videos. In a Type 1 report, you interview a witness or victim and write down the information – and you’re finished. You may use a special incident reporting form, and it might be quite extensive. Many of the sources you need can be found online, which will help you to write your report as quickly as possible. One full blank line should be between the title of a report and the text. Find the Facts. Please consider making a contribution to wikiHow today. Reviewed by: Michelle Seidel, B.Sc., LL.B., MBA. That can help with finding more credible sources. The correct way to operate a specific piece of machinery in use in the workplace. The introduction summarizes the report’s content, which is typically a specific subject like: Following the introduction paragraph, the safety report should include a list of each piece of equipment discussed in the report and its purpose. You might consider creating a diagram to show, in a simple and visually effective manner, the sequence of events related to the incident and include this in your incident report. Writing a report can be a tedious, seemingly never ending process. Summarize your conclusion. It's always a sound idea to have a trusted mechanic inspect a used vehicle before you lay your money down. Lindsay Kramer has been a full-time writer since 2014. Ask for help from a classmate or co-worker. It depends on the assignment, but you should aim to use at least three different sources of information when gathering research for your report. A few examples of these kinds of workplaces are: These reports are written by companies operating in these industries for the purpose of educating employees on proper safety procedures. In that time, she's experienced the ups, downs and crazy twists life tends to take when you're launching, building and leading a small business. You might also wish to include photos of the accident scene, which may help readers follow the sequence of events. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. Each paragraph should build on the last, leading to the conclusion. The first part of a safety report is a clear introduction to the topic the report covers. But writing any incident report involves four basic steps, and those are the focus of today’s post. An incident report needs to include all the essential information about the accident or near-miss. Jargon and technical terms should be kept to a minimum, and when they must be used, they should be clearly defined in the text. When writing a safety report, the writer should do her best to think like the employees who will read it. Employees who work with this equipment need to know when and how to maintain it because proper machinery maintenance can prevent accidents. How to Write a Good Accident or Incident Report, Write an Effective Incident Report in 5 Steps, Forklift Safety Tips Infographic: 20 Important Safety Tips for Forklifts, 5 “near-miss” videos that show why reporting is prevention (Warning: graphic), Why Lock-Out, Tag-Out Is Vitally Important, Date, time, and specific location of incident, Names, job titles, and department of employees involved and immediate supervisor(s), Exactly what employee was doing at the moment of the accident. This section should also include the tools needed to perform these repairs. This can involve interviewing workers in the industry or company who will use the report. Get access to downloadable materials that will help guide and instruct you on the procedures you need to take to be successful. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. Previously, she's written on entrepreneurship for 99designs and covered business law topics for law firms. Governments might order assessment reports to scan the impact of political campaigns in certain regions. You could also end with a quote to back up your main points. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. (Click here to read)**. Jack Benton from EHS Safety News America shares with us the key elements in writing a good and informative accident or incident report. Additionally, showing employees how machines work when they are used properly equips them to recognize situations when they are being used in an unsafe manner so they can take appropriate action. If you need clarification as to exactly what is required for your report, talk to your boss/teacher/whoever you will be turning the report in to. In your report, describe this sequence in detail, including: The incident should be described on the report in sufficient detail that any reader can clearly picture what happened. In a safety report, real-life statistics taken from OSHA reports can illustrate the importance of taking workplace safety seriously. This article has been viewed 109,270 times. Every day at wikiHow, we work hard to give you access to instructions and information that will help you live a better life, whether it's keeping you safer, healthier, or improving your well-being. The following training titles are available to help with workplace safety incidents: OSHA Recordkeeping for Managers and Supervisors. % of people told us that this article helped them. For example, you could write, "Central Park, founded in 1891, is still a hub of activity in the Hillsdale community.". You also may be asked to submit a short report in response to a specific and/or timely circumstance. Conducting a job hazard analysis to evaluate the task for any other hazards and then train employees on these hazards, Engineering changes that make the task safer or administrative changes that might include changing the way the task is performed. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. 1. This can involve interviewing workers in the industry or company who will use the report. Basically, a safety report should cover everything the reader needs to know about its topic and preemptively answer any questions the reader might have.