Incident Reporting Policy and Procedure Category: Number: Responsibility: Approval: Amendments: Health, Safety and Security HS2 Director of Human Resources November 2015, Administration Every 3 years or as circumstances warrant PURPOSE The purpose of this policy and procedure is to establish a consistent means of recording workplace accident/incident information, which will be used to prevent a recurrence of the same or similar incidents. It is also intended to ensure that all accidents/incidents are thoroughly investigated and all required information is reported to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board and Ministry of Labour, if applicable. SCOPE This procedure applies to all accidents or incidents involving any employee, contractor, student or visitor of Algoma University. DEFINITIONS Accident: An unplanned event that causes personal injury and/or property damage. An accident includes: a willful and intentional act, not being the act of the employee; a chance event occasioned by a physical or natural cause, and; a disablement arising out of and in the course of employment. Critical Injury: A critical injury is defined as per Regulation 834 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act as an accident which results in an injury of a serious nature that: a) places life in jeopardy; b) produces unconsciousness; c) results in substantial loss of blood; d) involves the fracture of a leg or arm; e) involves the amputation of a leg, arm, hand or foot; f) consists of burns to a major portion of the body; g) causes the loss of sight in an eye. Incident: An incident is a work related event resulting in an injury or accident, or fatality occurred or could have occurred.
Near-miss: An incident having potential to but not resulting in injury or property damage. Occupational Disease: An illness or disease which was brought on or caused by exposure in the workplace to a physical, chemical, or biological agent to the extent that the health of an employee is impaired. Management Officer: A Management Officer is an individual having authority over an employee or an activity. Loss Time Injury (LTI): means an injury that results in the employee not working the shift immediately following the shift in which the injury occurred. Medical Treatment/Non-Disability: An injury or occupational illness that requires medical treatment beyond first aid and does not result in an absence from work beyond the day of the accident. POLICY It is compulsory to report all accidents/incidents and all injuries no matter how slight, to one s Management Officer or Security at the time of occurrence or before leaving the property. Failure to honour this rule may place your compensation claim in jeopardy for acceptance. All injuries and serious incidents including near misses shall be promptly reported and investigated to determine their root cause. Comprehensive and documented investigations will be performed that identify and prioritize corrective and preventative actions to eliminate or reduce the risk and recurrence of near misses, injuries and incidents. This shall specifically include the root cause analysis. The proposed corrective and preventative action shall be reviewed through the risk assessment process prior to implementation to ensure these are appropriate to the nature and extent of the hazards and associated risks. Corrective and preventative actions, including changes in procedures, processes or existing systems are documented, communicated, followed up and completed. Confirmation of the effectiveness of corrective and preventative action shall be undertaken. In the event of a significant near miss, incident or injury, work shall stop immediately and only resume once the necessary actions, including re-evaluation of any relevant risk assessments have been undertaken to reduce the risk of recurrence. Work shall only be permitted to recommence following authorisation from appropriate senior management. Where a person is killed or is critically injured, no person shall, except for the purpose of saving a life and/or relieving human suffering, or preventing unnecessary damage to equipment or other property, interfere with, disturb, destroy, alter or carry away any wreckage, article or thing at the scene of, or connected with, the occurrence until permission to do so has been given by an inspector.
PROCEDURE ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES Injured Person: is responsible for immediately reporting an injury or incident to their management officer and participating in the investigation, including suggesting corrective actions. Management Officer: is responsible for completing the Incident Report and Investigation Form and interviewing witnesses and submission of the report to Health & Safety within 24 hours of the accident/incident. The Management Officer will notify the Health & Safety Officer of the incident and seek assistance in the investigation where required. In the event of a critical injury, the Management Officer will immediately contact the Health and Safety Officer who will in turn contact a Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) member, ensuring the scene is secured. The Management Officer is responsible for suggesting corrective actions, with input from the worker member of the JHSC, and monitoring any implemented recommendations. JHSC: will review a summary of all accident investigations at the first scheduled meeting after the completion of the investigation. The JHSC will follow up on any outstanding or unresolved issues noted in the recommendations. The JHSC will also review health care, first aid and incident/near miss reports at the regularly scheduled meetings. Worker Member of the JHSC: when required by law, participate in accident investigations, including suggesting corrective and preventive actions. Health & Safety Officer: is responsible for authorizing the resumption of normal work activities following an accident. They are also required to follow up on any recommended actions to ensure that they have been properly addressed and/or corrected. Health & Safety will complete and submit reports as required by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board. For a critical injury, Health & Safety shall notify the Ministry of Labour; the Director of Human Resources; the Vice President of Finance and Administration, and the JHSC Co-chairs. Health & Safety will complete the Critical Injury Report Form and submit it to the Ministry of Labour. The Health & Safety Officer is also responsible for investigating and addressing environmental releases. President (or designate): is responsible for notifying the next of kin of a critically injured employee. Security: are responsible for investigating and addressing property damage and responding to all emergencies. FIRST AID Only those appointed to attend and who complete certification through an Administration approved course, are to carry out first aid duties. In order for these first aiders to remain authorized, they must attend a refresher course before their training expires (generally every 3 years). At minimum there must be one First Aider per shift on site. All first aid supplies will be kept in accordance with local regulation. Names of First Aiders and their qualifications will be posted. REPORTING ACCIDENTS AND NEAR MISSES ALL accidents, incidents, and near misses must be reported to a Management Officer immediately. For property damage, fire or explosion, contact Security. For spills, contact the Health & Safety Officer.
The Management Officer is responsible for filling out the Injury/Incident Report and Investigation Form with the employee, and forwarding the report to Health & Safety as soon as possible but within 24 hours of the incident. Where an incident could have resulted in a serious injury or loss to property or process, the Management Officer will investigate it and a report filed and reviewed. MOBILE EQUIPMENT: 1. Any accident or damage occurring to mobile equipment must be reported to the Management Officer. 2. The Management Officer (or designate) is required to investigate and file a written report on each incident. 3. This report must be reviewed with the Management Officer and a copy sent to the finance department if an insurance claim is pending. REPORTING WHEN A MEDICAL VISIT IS REQUIRED If an employee seeks medical attention for their injury, they must ask the treating Health Care Provider for page three of the Form 8. The Form 8 is the Health Professional s report of injury that is sent to the WSIB. The Form 8 captures functional abilities information, thereby eliminating the need for a Functional Abilities Form (FAF) on the initial visit. The employee must return the completed page 3 of the Form 8 to their Management Officer as soon as practicable to ensure a successful early and safe return to work (HR1 Return to Work Policy and Procedure). If medical attention is sought after hours, the completed Form 8 should be returned at the beginning of the next regularly scheduled shift so that modified work can be offered if required. A FAF should only be completed when requested by a worker or employer on subsequent visits to a regulated health professional, not at the first visit. The Management Officer is required to forward the Form 8 immediately to Health & Safety so that modified duties within the employee s restrictions can be arranged if necessary. STUDENTS AND VISITORS If a student or visitor is injured and requires medical care, Security shall be called at ext. 4444. Security will complete an Incident Report and forward to Health & Safety if necessary. For all other incidents, the Injury/Incident Report and Investigation Form should be completed and forwarded to Health & Safety for review of corrective and preventive actions. For students that are injured during an unpaid practicum, the Program Coordinator shall complete the Unpaid Practicum Student Accident / Incident Investigation Report. The completed form shall be forwarded to Health & Safety within 24 hours of the incident. Health & Safety will complete the Form 7 with the MTCU Firm Number and attach the MTCU Post-Secondary Placement Workplace Injury Claim Form and the Letter of Authorization to Represent Employer Form.
TRANSPORTATION FOR INJURED EMPLOYEES If an employee needs medical attention as a result of the accident, the employer shall provide the appropriate transportation for the worker to a location within a reasonable distance. For emergency situations, an ambulance shall be called (911). For non-emergency injuries, a taxi shall be used to transport the employee. If an employee is incapable of using their normal form of transportation to return home, the University shall provide transportation by taxi to the employee s home. No employee is to transport another employee or student to obtain healthcare. Should the employee refuse the transportation provided, the Management Officer (or their designate) is to make a note on the accident investigation report, identifying the rationale if possible. PERFORMING AN INVESTIGATION The Management Officer in conjunction with the Health & Safety Officer (and a worker member of the JHSC when required by law) must conduct an accident investigation as soon as possible but within 24 hours of the occurrence, including: Interviewing employee(s) involved Interviewing witnesses Identifying primary/secondary hazardous conditions Identifying primary/secondary unsafe actions Identifying primary/secondary root causes Recommend prevention/remedial actions The Management Officer shall investigate the incident together with the injured worker and complete the Injury/Incident Report and Investigation Form. Once completed these reports are to be forwarded to Health & Safety within 24 hours of the incident. When writing the investigation report, the Management Officer (and a worker member of the JHSC when required by law) must remember a few key points. These points are as follows: If there is a critical injury, the accident scene will remain secured and no work activity will be performed in the area until authorized by Health & Safety. Include a brief outline of the events that led up to the accident Describe the events in chronological order Be specific include dates, times, places, people involved, conditions, etc. Attach photographs, sketches, drawings and an inspection of the site, materials, machinery and/or equipment involved. Health & Safety has a digital camera which may be utilized for attaching any required photos to the report. Should the employee require medical attention please refer to HR1 Return to Work Policy and Procedure. Note: The investigation should be performed using the Injury/Incident Report and Investigation Form. Recommendations should be acted upon, and communicated to employees as quickly as possible.
The following points shall be noted during the investigation and are included on the Injury/Incident Report and Investigation Form. a) Date and hour of injury and reporting b) If there was a delay in reporting including the reasons for the delay c) What was the root cause of the injury describe the accident, the circumstances surrounding the onset of pain or the events leading up to the injury? d) What was the worker doing and what effort was involved? e) What are the particulars of the equipment or materials involved? f) What part/side of the body was involved-was the onset of pain gradual or sudden, was it a sharp pain or dull ache g) Where did the accident occur be specific as to location h) What conditions contributed to the accident? i) What steps were taken to prevent the recurrence of the accident i.e. retraining of the employee, change of equipment and the status of any actions j) Interview witnesses as soon as possible after the incident k) Was there a pre-existing condition which contributed to the injury? CRITICAL INJURIES In the case of critical injuries, unique and strict procedural protocols are prescribed by legislation, and are included in this procedure. Should a person be killed or critically injured, Security and/or the injured employee s Management Officer shall notify Health & Safety as soon as possible. Health & Safety shall notify the Ministry of Labour; the Director of Human Resources; the Vice President of Finance and Administration, and the JHSC Co-chairs. If the injured person is an employee, the President (or designate) shall notify the next of kin. Communications will implement the Crisis Communication Plan. The accident scene shall be preserved as per the legislation, which states that where a person is killed or critically injured at a workplace, no person shall interfere with, disturb, destroy, alter or carry away any wreckage, article or thing at the scene of or connected with the occurrence until permission to do so has been given by a Ministry of Labour Inspector, except for the purpose of: a) Saving life or relieving human suffering; b) Maintaining an essential public utility service or a public transportation system; or c) Preventing unnecessary damage to equipment or other property. No persons other than those designated with authority to do so shall be allowed near the area. The accident scene will remain secured and no work activity will be performed in the area until the Health & Safety Officer has been notified by the Ministry of Labour that the investigation is complete and the resumption of normal work activities can be initiated. An investigation shall commence immediately. The investigation will involve the gathering of information and no piece of equipment, tool or thing will be disturbed that may have been involved in the accident. A worker and management representative from the JHSC will participate in the investigation.
External agencies such as Ministry of Labour, City Police Services, Coroner, etc. may take charge of the scene and conduct their own independent investigation. If the injured person is an employee, the Management Officer shall complete the Injury/Incident Report and Investigation Form as part of the University s investigation process and forward to Health & Safety within 24 hours of the injury. Health & Safety shall complete the Critical Injury Report Form and submit the report as per Section 51(1) of the Occupational Health & Safety Act within 48 hours to the Ministry of Labour. IDENTIFYING CAUSES AND CONTRIBUTING FACTORS During an accident investigation, it is very important to determine the root cause and contributing factors surrounding an accident. Therefore, it is imperative that the Management Officer (and a worker member of the JHSC when required by law) review the accident scene in person and interview all witnesses and injured parties individually as soon after the accident as possible. Contributing factors are important to note, to ensure root accident causes are fixed so the same incident DOES NOT happen again. It will include such things as; people, equipment, material, environment and process. People: The behaviour and actions/inaction of people can create hazards in the workplace. Human factors such as mental fatigue and stress are also contributing causes. Knowledge of and training in appropriate procedures are critical to avoid unsafe behaviours. Appropriate administration, leadership and supervision help ensure procedures and safe practices are followed. Equipment: The tools and machines people use and work near can be hazardous. Look for unsafe or unhealthy conditions inadequate guarding or barriers defective tools and equipment incorrect tools and equipment for the job inadequate warning systems Materials: The improper handling and wrong type of raw materials, products, and hazardous chemicals can result in explosion, fires and exposure to toxic chemicals and physical agents Environment: Some hazards are created by the work environment: condition of surfaces where people walk or where things are placed over-crowding and inadequate ventilation inadequate lighting, extreme temperatures and noise inadequate housekeeping Process: The combination of the four factors in any type of production is process. It involves the flow of work and includes design, organization, pace and type of work. By products such as heat, noise, dust, vapours, fumes and scrap materials may be created by the process. INTERVIEWING WITNESSES During an investigation, the guidelines below are to be followed to ensure that important and viable information is gained from the interview.
1. Eyewitnesses: Investigators must ensure that they interview all witnesses to an accident. Make sure to use proper investigation techniques to guarantee no witnesses are overlooked. 2. People involved in the interview: Only those people directly involved in the investigation should have any involvement in the interview process. 3. Who conducts the interview? The Management Officer or their designate with the assistance of the Health and Safety Officer should conduct interviews (with the assistance of the JHSC (employee) member when required by law). 4. When should the interview occur? It is important to interview all parties involved as quickly as possible to ensure no details are left out. This will ensure that facts are fresh in their minds and there is no cross contamination of accounts, caused by witnesses/injured employees talking with one another prior to being questioned. Interviews should be conducted separately for each witness. 5. Where should the interview take place? If the accident site is not dangerous, conduct the interview there. Being at the scene may help the witness remember certain details that may have otherwise been forgotten. If the site is not appropriate, another room or a corner may be used. The chosen place should let the Management Officer and the witness talk without the witness feeling as if he/she is being interrogated. 6. Witness statements must be recorded: Interviewers should be sure to record all statements for later reference. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CORRECTIVE AND PREVENTIVE ACTION After an investigation has concluded, Algoma University will undertake any corrective action necessary to prevent recurrence of similar incidents, should it be deemed necessary and does not create undue hardship on the organization. Immediate and long term corrective action should be noted on the Accident Incident Report at the time of the investigation, and communicated to the person responsible for each action. FOLLOW-UP AND REPORTING Health & Safety must follow up on any recommended actions to ensure that they have been properly addressed and/or corrected. The injured worker s Management Officer shall monitor any implemented recommendations and, if required, be assisted by Health & Safety for any difficulties or concerns. Health & Safety will complete and submit reports as required by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board. The Ministry of Labour will be notified within 48 hours from the time of the incident in cases that result in a fatality or critical injury, or involve fire and/or explosion. The Ministry of the Environment will immediately be notified in all instances that result in a chemical spill/environmental release. The WSIB will be notified by Health & Safety within 72 hours, in all cases that involve: medical aid, lost time, 8 days of consecutive modified work without medical treatment or lost time, fatalities and critical injuries.
The JHSC shall receive a list of accidents and incidents to review at the first scheduled meeting after the completion of the investigation. Copies of all Accident / Incident Reports are available for JHSC review, and hard copies are sent to the applicable union. Should there be outstanding or unresolved issues noted in the recommendations, it is the responsibility of the JHSC to ensure that these items are readdressed. In addition to all accidents that are investigated, health care, first aid and incident/near miss reports will be reviewed by the JHSC at the regularly scheduled meetings. All recommendations requiring corrective action must be communicated to all applicable workplace parties. This communication may involve one specific employee (in the case of training) or the entire workplace (in case of facility repair). Communication may be made through the following media; training sign sheet, postings on the health and safety bulletin board, safety talks, etc. NEAR MISS/HAZARD REPORTING What is a Near Miss? A near miss is any event where the conditions for an incident are present and the employee is impacted, but the impact does not rise to the need for First Aid or Medical Treatment. What is a Hazard? A hazard is anything with the potential to cause harm. Reporting Procedure Every Near Miss / Hazard should be reported, all relevant details should be recorded on the Hazard Report Form.
APPENDIX A: ACCIDENT REPORTING PROTOCOLS CONTACT INFORMATION MAIN CAMPUS 705-949-2301 ext. 4444 SECURITY BRAMPTON HEALTH & SAFETY TIMMINS PH: 705-949-2301 ext. 4373 CONFIDENTIAL FAX: 705-949-4121 Email: brandi.bell-tanninen@algomau.ca NON-CRITICAL INJURY: (i.e. first aid, health care, lost time injury, occupational illness) Step 1: Seek medical attention (if necessary) and REPORT the incident immediately to your Management Officer. If the medical attention is during regular working hours, the Management Officer (or designate) must provide the worker with a WSIB Package for Injured Workers before seeing the health professional Step 2: The Management Officer (or designate) must COMPLETE an Injury/Incident Report and Investigation Form as part of the University s investigation process and forward to Health & Safety within 24 hours of the injury. CRITICAL INJURY A critical injury is defined as per Regulation 834 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act as an accident which results in an injury of a serious nature that: a) places life in jeopardy; b) produces unconsciousness; c) results in substantial loss of blood; d) involves the fracture of a leg or arm; e) involves the amputation of a leg, arm, hand or foot; f) consists of burns to a major portion of the body; g) causes the loss of sight in an eye. Step 1: Seek MEDICAL ATTENTION by calling 911 and notifying security Step 2: Security must secure the scene and ensure the lockout of any equipment pertaining to the accident is done by the appropriate personnel. No person can alter the scene where the injury occurred in any way without the permission of the MOL. THE MANAGEMENT OFFICER S RESPONSIBILITIES 1. Completing the an Injury/Incident Report and Investigation Form with the employee as part of the University s investigation process and forward to Health & Safety within 24 hours of the incident. 2. Initiating contact with the injured employee after medical treatment, or as soon as reasonably possible after medical treatment to facilitate the return to work process.