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Incident reporting is a vital part of a business's workplace safety plans. In fact, it is one of the most important steps to take after an incident occurs, in industries like construction and hospitality.

Importance of Incident Reporting

Firms might not be as concerned about reporting incidents as they are about productivity or ROI. They often miss the connection between incident reporting and revenue. However, the benefits directly affect business growth, workplace safety, and employee morale.

1. Incident Reporting is mandated by law.  

Firstly, incident reporting is a legal duty in workplaces around the world. In Singapore, under the Workplace Safety and Health Act, employers must report workplace accidents, dangerous occurrences, and occupational hazards to the Ministry of Manpower and submit incident reports within 10 days. In fact, failure to comply with incident reporting guidelines results in hefty fines of up to SGD $10,000.

2. Reporting incidents encourages employee response.

Moreover, firms with a strong culture of reporting incidents understand that employees are directly affected by this practice. Each incident serves as a “wake-up call”. Therefore, reported incidents are a reminder to employees to become more cautious and meticulous in their work.

3. Analyse collected data for trends.

Additionally, ensure that data is stored and easily accessible. Then, analyse collected data to reveal issue trends and potential solutions to prevent similar incidents. For instance, reports on the same issue can identify which employee or equipment frequently gets involved in an incident. This, therefore, allows stakeholders to develop plans to supersede future occurrences.

4. Recorded details are essential for follow-up action

Lastly, the details recorded in an incident report are essential for many succeeding steps in a workplace safety plan. For example, the resolution of issues, the creation of a prevention plan, and the support for a worker’s injury claim will require a complete and accurate report to move forward.

Incident Reporting Singapore Guidelines

Step 1. Data Gathering

First, identify and record details of the incident so that investigators can clearly understand the issue at hand. Details should include time and date of incident, personnel involved, injuries and damage to equipment.

Step 2. Determine The Order of Events

Next, describe events that led up to the incident to help investigators identify its primary cause. In addition, recording post-incident details are also important. For instance, knowing how employees responded allows supervisors to assess whether or not training and education are enough.

Step 3. Include Additional Details

To add, submit pictures, videos or audio recordings of the incident to aid investigations.

Step 4. Analysis

Subsequently, supervisors should analyse the findings obtained from the investigation process. Identify the incident root causes and develop appropriate preventive action plans to avoid the same issues in the future.

Step 5. Resolution and Prevention

Lastly, incident reporting Singapore guidelines may include new policies to prevent future incidents from occurring. Such changes could include altering current training course material, re-assessing the risks of particular equipment, or the effectiveness of certain response procedures.

Incident Reporting in the Digital Age

With the rise of technology, supervisors are increasingly seeking more active forms of collaboration with employees. This translates into frontline workers sharing responsibility and accountability for projects. Singapore businesses can now easily raise the alarm on hazards, issues, or injuries. Applications like KNOW allow all employees to stay in the loop, and anyone on-the-ground can report incidents instantly. To conclude, these tools are essential for developing a strong safety culture that ensures every employee is accountable for upholding an organisation’s quality and safety standards.

With KNOW, anyone can report an issue as it happens. Eliminate manual filing, and delayed resolutions!