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Incident Reporting and Investigation

General Safety | 10-15 min

Summary

Proper incident reporting and investigation prevents future injuries by identifying root causes and implementing corrective actions. Studies suggest that for every serious injury, there are approximately 10 minor injuries, 30 property damage incidents, and 300 near-misses - a pattern known as Heinrich's Triangle. This means near-miss reports are tremendously valuable: they provide opportunities to fix hazards before serious injuries occur.

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Key Points to Cover

  • Report all injuries, no matter how minor
  • Near-miss reports prevent future incidents
  • Investigations seek causes, not blame
  • Timely reporting improves investigation quality
  • Learn from incidents to prevent recurrence

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should this safety talk take?

Plan for about 10-15 min, with extra time for questions and site-specific examples.

Can I tailor the discussion to my workplace?

Yes. Use the key points as a starting place and connect them to the tasks, equipment, and procedures your team uses.

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