Incident Reporting: Much More Than a Tick Box Exercise
Incident reporting, like risk assessment, has a bad rep. Perceived as an administrative headache for compliance or insurance objectives, the dreaded incident form actually offers a lot more to safety than the naysayers suggest!
Why Incident Reporting Is Essential to Safety Culture
Whatever the “incident”– a near miss, a first aid accident, a whistleblowing event or a security concern – an effective reporting process forms a critical part of a robust risk management strategy.
Of course, an isolated report that is ignored or forgotten has limited purpose, typically gathering dust in a logbook or sent into a digital abyss. But if effectively managed with clear post-reporting workflows, incident reports are vital. Here are a few reasons why.
The Preventative Power of Effective Incident Reporting
Incident reporting has a preventative function that informs necessary actions, or even inactions. That’s right, an informed decision to do nothing or tolerate a risk has value in itself, as long as the necessary evaluation and triage has been undertaken.
Understanding and acting on a near miss can prevent a future accident, remedying a reported security concern can prevent a future crisis. Of course, it’s not always so simple and linear, but playing it blind, or having fragmented incident reporting is definitely a risky business.
The Benefits of Centralised Digital Incident Reporting Systems
A central digital system for reporting can ensure that a consistent system review and investigation (if needed) is undertaken. Simple automated notifications and reminders can make sure incidents don’t go amiss.
Clearly demonstrating that reports inspire actions help build the trust and openness that allow safety cultures to thrive. And when stored centrally, data analytics can provide insights into patterns, trends or vulnerabilities that are unknown when viewed in isolation.
Not to mention the time saved on those insurance and management reports!
RiskPal’s Approach to Smarter Incident Reporting
At RiskPal, we are developing an accident and incident reporting function built around our core tenets of usability, empowerment and customisation. Just like our risk assessments, we prioritise the end user experience and give organisations the ability to customise their forms and workflows to match their unique needs.
We are combining key customer feedback with our years of risk management software experience to develop an incident reporting solution that informs, instructs and enhances risk management processes while making sure those compliance and insurance boxes also get ticked!
Improve Your Incident Reporting and Risk Management
If you’re looking to enhance your incident reporting procedures or need support with any aspect of risk management, we’re here to help. RiskPal’s intuitive risk assessment software is designed to streamline your processes, improve safety outcomes and ensure compliance.
To learn more about how RiskPal can support your organisation, get in touch with our team:
