Incident and Accident Reporting - Risk Management

Risk Management for Incidents

1. If an incident occurs, attend to those involved to ensure there are no injuries.
2. Complete an incident report. The report should at least include:
1. Names and contact information of the reporter and witnesses
2. A detailed description of the incident
3. Recommendations to prevent similar incidents in the future
3. Contact your insurance representative for advice on whether the incident should be reported to your insurer. Incidents are often reported even if a claim may not come out of them.
4. Keep the incident report on file:
1. Documentation should be kept for as long as necessary to defend against potential claims. The length of time that legal action may be taken is called the statute of limitations.
2. If the reporter is an adult, keep the incident documentation on file for at least five years after the statute of limitations passes for that type of claim. Your lawyer should be able to tell you how long this is.

3. If the reporter is a minor, keep the incident documentation on file for at least three to five years after the statute of limitations passes for that type of claim once the minor has reached the age of majority. Your lawyer should be able to tell you how long this is.

4. An efficient method of organizing and storing incident reports is in an electronic database where they can be sorted and retrieved based on a number of factors. Always ensure you create a backup file.
5. Review the incident report to determine the cause of the incident and any loss prevention measures that could be implemented

Risk Management for Accidents

1. Attend to any persons involved.
2. If necessary, move yourself and injured persons out of any areas of immediate danger such as fire or traffic.
3. Administer first aid if necessary. Administer only the level of first aid that you are qualified to perform.
4. Do not admit liability or promise to pay for expenses incurred by injured persons.
5. Call 911 or ask a bystander to call 911 or the emergency number for police, ambulance and/or the fire department if necessary. Do not leave the scene of the accident unless it is to call one of those services.
6. Protect any damaged property or evidence from further damage (as long as the protection is at a reasonable cost). As an insured, it is your duty to minimize the damage to the extent possible.
7. Complete an accident report. At minimum, the report should include:               
1. Names and contact information for the reporter and witnesses
2. A detailed description of the accident
3. A description of injuries and property damage
8. Promptly notify your insurer of the possible claim. If an employee is injured, the claim should be reported to the Workers’ Compensation Board.
1. Note the name of the person to whom you reported the claim. In the case of a dispute, this may be used to prove that the claim was reported.
9. Keep the report on file.
1. Documentation should be kept for as long as necessary to defend against potential claims. The length of time that legal action may be taken is called the statute of limitations.
2. If the victim is an adult, keep the accident documentation on file for at least three to five years after the statute of limitations passes for that type of claim. Your lawyer should be able to tell you how long this is.
3. If the victim is a minor, keep the accident documentation on file for at least three to five years after the statute of limitations passes for that type of claim once the minor has reached the age of majority. Your lawyer should be able to tell you how long this is.
4. An efficient method of organizing and storing accident reports is in an electronic database where they can be sorted and retrieved based on a number of factors.

Source: Compiled with Canadian Risk Intervention Inc.