IncidentReports

Incident reports are formal records that document events in which normal operations were disrupted or could have resulted in injury, property damage, environmental harm, or reputational impact. They are used across many sectors, including workplace safety, healthcare, information technology, manufacturing, aviation, and public safety, and they cover actual incidents as well as near misses or close calls. An incident report typically records the date and time, location, people involved, a narrative description, witnesses, equipment or systems involved, immediate containment actions, injuries or exposures, property damage, and any evidence or attachments. Many organizations require classifications of severity, risk, and potential consequences, along with whether regulatory reporting is triggered.

The reporting process generally follows a cycle: initiation and notification, collection of facts, investigation to determine root causes, and development of corrective or preventive actions. The report is reviewed, approved, and then closed once actions are implemented and verified. Incident information is often stored in a centralized system with a unique case number to support tracking, trend analysis, and regulatory compliance. Data privacy and confidentiality are important, particularly when individuals’ personal information is involved.

Limitations include underreporting and variability in report quality, which can hinder learning. When used effectively, incident reporting supports safety improvements, compliance with laws and standards, and organizational learning through root-cause analysis and dissemination of lessons learned.