1st Reporting
Updated June 3, 2024.
Are you looking for types of incident reports? You came to the right place. Incident reports are essential documents a business can produce. They record any event or occurrence that has the potential to disrupt normal business operations.
There are many incident report types and forms, so it is best to classify them under various categorical headings to make sense of the many choices.
This article will explore the various forms of incident reports and discuss how to use them in multiple industries. We’ll also provide tips on how to write an effective incident report. But first, let’s take a closer look at what incident reports are and why they are essential.
Common Incident and Prevention Report Types and Examples
The following tables show examples of commonly used incident (and incident prevention) reports found in various popular industries.
What Is An Incident Report?
An incident report is a document that records any event or occurrence that has the potential to disrupt normal business operations. It provides a clear and concise summary of the event, including the cause, impact, and resolution. Incident reports can help prevent future incidents and improve safety and security procedures.
There are several types of incident reports, each of which finds use in various industries. Some of the most common types of incident reports include:
Each type of incident report serves a specific purpose and provides essential information for businesses and organizations. Let’s examine each one closely.
The Accident Report
An accident report is a document filled out after an accident. It usually contains detailed information about the accident, such as what happened, who was involved, and the extent of any injuries.
Read about Incident Reports Vs. Accident Reports here.
The Hazard Report
A hazard report is a document completed following an incident that could cause harm. It usually contains detailed information about the incident, such as what happened, who was involved, and the extent of any potential injuries or damage to property or equipment.
See also the Job Hazard Analysis Checklist.
The Near-Miss Report
A Near-Miss Report is a specific type of incident report used in industries with a potential for harm or injury. Managers use it to document any situation that could have resulted in an accident (but did not). Near-miss reports can identify potential hazards and prevent accidents from happening in the future.
The Security Incident Report
A security incident report is a document that records any security-related incidents that have occurred in a business. Security incidents can include anything from theft to a cyber-attack. The report aims to provide an overview of the incident, including what happened when it happened, and how it was resolved.
See also Cyber-Security Incident Response
You should complete the security incident report as soon as possible after the incident occurs. This allows for a more accurate description of the incident and can help prevent further damage.
Some critical information that you should include in a security incident report:
- The date and time of the incident
- The nature of the incident
- How the incident was resolved
- The extent of any damage caused
The Fire Incident Report
Fire Incident Reports are used to report a fire-related incident. Fire departments, insurance companies, and other organizations may use this document to record information about the incident.
The Fire Incident Report may include details such as the date and time of the fire, its location, its type, and its cause.
Features of an Incident Report
“An incident report is a document that records an incident or event. It usually includes the who, what, when, where, and how of the event.“
J.W.Shantz – Incident Report Specialist
In addition, it may also contain photos, videos, or other evidence related to the event. Incident reports document and track incidents, which can then be used to improve safety and security.
There are several key features of an effective incident report:
- It should be concise and easy to read.
- It should include all the relevant information about the incident.
- It should be accurate and unbiased.
- It should be written clearly and concisely.
- It should be filed promptly after the incident occurs.
- You should include resolutions taken to resolve the incident.
- In your report, including further actions required to prevent other incidents is always wise.
General Types of Incident Reports
There are five general types of incident reports, each concerned with its respective subject matter.
Person
A person type of incident report is a document that records any incidents or accidents involving people. The report usually contains detailed information about the incident, such as what happened, who was involved, and the extent of any injuries.
Vehicle or Equipment
An equipment type of incident report is a document that records any incidents or accidents involving equipment. The report usually contains detailed information about the incident, such as what happened, who was involved, and the extent of any damage to vehicles or equipment.
Facility
A facility-type incident report is a document that records any incidents or accidents involving a facility. The report usually contains detailed information about the incident, such as what happened, who was involved, and the extent of any injuries or damage to property.
Property
A property type of incident report is a document that records any incidents or accidents involving the property. The report usually contains detailed information about the incident, such as what happened, who was involved, and the extent of any injuries or damage to property.
Industry Verticals And The Types of Incident (and Other) Reports Used
Construction
- New Construction – Residential
- New Construction – Commercial
- New Construction – Industrial
- Renovations and Additions
Types of Incident Reports in Construction
- Site safety incident report
- Near miss incident report
- First aid incident report
- Vehicle accident report
- Dangerous occurrence report
- Hazardous materials release incident report.
See our incident report template, or try our incident reporting app.
Construction Industry Tips
If working on remote construction sites, use a mobile reporting application to notify you of emergencies.
Observing the utmost safety in construction is imperative, given the high rate of incidents within the industry. In 2021, according to OSHA, the highest rate of infractions in the US involved fall protection standards within the construction industry.
Energy Sector
- Power Generation
- Power Distribution
Types of Incident Reports in Energy
Every company has its own set of procedures, but all incident reports in the energy sector have one goal: to help prevent future incidents. When it comes to the types of incident reports, the energy sector primarily uses two classes:
Operational Incident Report: Also known as an event report, an operational incident report documents any abnormal event that could affect safety, the environment, or production. Operations personnel usually complete these types of reports.
Investigative Incident Report: An investigative incident report is used when a potential root cause for an operational incident. These reports are usually completed by investigators or a team assigned by the company.
Energy Sector Industry Tips
– In the event of an incident, always complete an operational incident report (event report) relative to the incident type.
– If there is a potential root cause for an operational incident, complete an investigative incident report such as a root cause analysis.
Healthcare
- Hospitals
- Medical Clinics
- Medical Laboratories
Types of Incident Reports in Healthcare
- Patient falls
- Patient elopement
- Patient abuse or neglect
- Medication error
- Equipment failure
- Fire
See our incident report template, or try our incident reporting app.
Healthcare Industry Tips
1. Always be specific and detailed when writing an incident report. This will help investigators understand what happened and how to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.
2. Include information about the patient, such as their name, date of birth, and other essential identifiers. This will help ensure that the patient is correctly identified and tracked.
Manufacturing
- Manufacturing Operations
- Quality Control Divisions
- Staff Procedure Tracking
Types of Incident Reports in Manufacturing
- Quality incident report
- Production incident report
- Maintenance incident report
- Environmental incident report
- Safety incident report
- Health and safety incident report
- Fire and explosion incident report
- Hazardous materials release incident report
- Emergency shutdown procedures deviations reports
- Chemical reaction hazard reports
- Equipment malfunction or failure reports
See our incident report template, or try our incident reporting app.
Manufacturing Industry Tips
1. Always fill out an incident report form whenever an incident occurs, even if it seems minor. It will help ensure that all necessary information is collected, even if the incident becomes more severe in nature.
2. If possible, try to take pictures or videos of the incident scene and any damage done. It can help provide accurate and detailed information when filling out the report.
Municipalities
- Road Maintenance
- Facility Maintenance
- Landscape and Grounds Care
- Facility Incident Management
- Waste Management
Types of Incident Reports in Municipalities
- Traffic accident report
- Police incident report
- Fire incident report
- Health and safety incident report
- Hazardous materials incident report
- Environmental Accident Report
See our incident report template here or try our incident reporting app here.
Municipality Tips
- Maintain training tracking to ensure all staff and contractors are up to standard. A tracking solution like a custom form in 1st Reporting can be used to maintain a training database.
- Use a customizable reporting application for all of your reporting needs. A single, all-in-one solution like 1st Reporting ensures you don’t have to hunt for your information. Retrieval is a snap with a cloud-based and secure solution like 1st.
Oil and Gas
- Natural Gas Mining, Processing, and Distribution
- Oil Field Maintenance
- Tar Sands Processing
Types of Incident Reports in Oil and Gas
- Accident Report
- Near-Miss Report
- Hazardous Occurrence Report (HOR)
- Dangerous Occurrence Report (DOR)
- Security Incidents Report
- Lost Time Incident report
- Equipment Inspection Form
See our incident report template here, or try our incident reporting app here.
Oil and Gas Industry Tips
- Stress the importance of vehicular safety. Due to the oil industry’s remote site nature, extensive travel is typically required to and from the site. According to OSHA, approximately 4 out of 10 fatalities in the industry occur due to highway vehicle accidents.
- Don’t neglect training about being caught in, under, or between equipment. This type of accident is a significant cause of fatalities in the Oil industry. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the oil industry lost 104 brave souls in 2019 and 44 in 2020.
Security
- Security Firms
- Policing
Types of Incident Reports in Security
- Crime reports: These types of incident reports document criminal activity. Law enforcement can use them to investigate and prosecute crimes.
- Accident reports: These types of incident reports document accidents. Insurance companies use them to determine who is at fault and to pay for damages.
- Safety reports: These incident reports document safety hazards. Safety committees can use them to improve workplace safety.
- Security reports: These incident reports are used to document security breaches. Security firms can use them to improve security.
Security Industry Tips
- Utilizing a robust mobile reporting platform like 1st Reporting helps security and police personnel efficiently retrieve and complete the appropriate paperwork. The app includes an offline mode, so it even works when out of range of an internet signal, saving the data locally until a signal becomes available to upload to the secure cloud servers.
- Take advantage of the free demo of the 1st Reporting platform for your team.
Staffing
- Tracking Daily Hours
- Tracking Safety
- Tracking Incidents
Types of Incident Reports in Staffing
- Team member injury report
- Team member illness report
- Accident report
- Near miss report
- Team member’s daily log
See our incident report template here, or try our incident reporting app here.
Staffing Industry Tips
- Ensure that all staff are familiar with incident reports and their uses.
- Use a mobile reporting platform like 1st Reporting to make reporting easy and efficient. A robust reporting platform like 1st Reporting allows for incident trend analysis data quickly and efficiently. Furthermore, the mobile form automation capabilities mean that dynamically controlled forms are here to stay.
Transportation
- Trucking
- Railroads
- Aviation
- Public Transit
- Shipping
See our incident report templates or try our incident reporting app.
Types of Incident Reports in Transportation
- Accident reports: These types of incident reports document accidents. Insurance companies use them to determine who is at fault and to pay for damages.
- Safety reports: These incident reports document safety hazards. Safety committees can use them to improve workplace safety.
Industry Tips
1. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in the United States often investigates aircraft and railway accidents. Familiarize yourself with their guidelines for reporting accidents and incidents.
2. Always use the same incident reporting system, preferably a mobile app like 1st Reporting, to ensure the accuracy and timeliness of your reports.
Utilities
- Hydro
- Water
- Natural Gas
- Sewage
- Waste Removal
Types of Incident Reports in Utilities
- Safety incident report
- Near miss incident report
- Team member injury report
- Hazardous material release incident report
- Environmental incident report
See our incident report template here, or try our incident reporting app here.
Industry Tips
- Ensure all personnel are aware of the risks. Waste management is a vital aspect of public utilities and is even considered by the EPA during a homeland security crisis. Therefore, losing personnel to injury or death is incomprehensible. Hazard awareness training is critical to all utilities and should never be avoided.
- Complete refresher training regularly. Typically, companies that schedule mandatory safety refresher training are better suited to weather the storm.
Tips for Writing an Incident Report
Include as Many Details as Possible
It is essential to include as many details as possible in the report to record the events. It will help to identify any patterns or trends that may be occurring. Be sure to include the date, time, and location of the incident and a description of what happened.
Use clear and concise language.
When writing the report, use clear and concise language. This will help ensure that the information is easy to understand. Avoid jargon or technical terms that others who read the report may not be familiar with.
Be objective
It is essential to be objective when writing the report. You should avoid including any personal opinions or biases in the report. Stick to the facts and provide any necessary details without adding your interpretation of events.
Keep it brief
While it is essential to include all relevant information in the report, you should keep it brief. It will help to prevent the report from becoming too long or confusing. Include only the essential information and leave out any unnecessary details.
Use a template
There are many templates available for writing an incident report. Using a template can help ensure that all of the necessary information is included in the report and that it is formatted correctly.
Review the report
Once you have written the report, review it for errors or omissions. It will help to ensure that the report is accurate and complete. If you are unsure about anything, ask someone else to read the report before submitting it.
Use a Dedicated Reporting Application Like 1st Reporting.
You’re doing a great job, but you could be doing even better.
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Answers For Common Incident Type-Related Questions
How many types of incident reports are there?
Numerous types of incident reports exist, each tailored to specific industries and situations. Common categories include accident reports, hazard reports, near-miss reports, security incident reports, and fire incident reports. These reports serve different purposes and provide essential information for preventing future incidents and improving safety protocols.
What are the top 3 most reported incident types?
The top 3 most reported incident types are:
1. Accident Reports: These document any accidents that occur, detailing what happened, who was involved, and any injuries sustained.
2. Near-Miss Reports: These capture incidents that could have resulted in an accident but did not, helping identify potential hazards.
3. Security Incident Reports: These cover security-related incidents, such as theft or cyber-attacks, and include information on the nature and resolution of the incident.
What are the types of incidents in hospitals?
In hospitals, common incident types include:
1. Patient Falls: Documenting any falls that patients experience within the facility.
2. Medication Errors: Recording any mistakes made in prescribing, dispensing, or administering medication.
3. Equipment Failures: Reporting any malfunctions or failures of medical equipment that could affect patient care.
What are the types of incidents in construction?
Construction sites often report the following types of incidents:
1. Site Safety Incident Reports: Documenting safety issues on the construction site.
2. Near Miss Incident Reports: Reporting incidents that almost resulted in an accident.
3. Hazardous Materials Release Incident Reports: Detailing any release of dangerous substances on site.
What are the types of incidents in the workplace?
Workplace incidents generally fall into several categories, including:
1. Injury Reports: Recording any injuries that occur at work.
2. Hazard Reports: Documenting potential hazards that could cause harm.
3. Property Damage Reports: Reporting any damage to workplace property or equipment.
