This is a formal recording of everything that happened during a workplace accident, near miss or injury. The purpose of an injury form template is to reveal the conditions and circumstances that led to a particular event so as to prevent them from happening again. It is a form that documents all workplace related accidents and should always be filled at the time of the accident.
Accidents happen at workplaces occasionally. An employee or customer can get injured at the workplace. It could be due to a slippery floor, congested area, wearing the wrong shoes etc. Either way, all injuries should be reported to the right people for further action. You need an injury form to document all this information.
How to Fill an Injury Form
When dealing with an injury form, go through all the important points. Here are some guidelines on how to do so.
1. Get proper forms
Make sure that you get the right form from your institution. Normally, companies have different approaches on dealing with workplace accidents and subsequently filing a report. Follow the company policy when reporting a workplace injury to avoid inconveniences. Some institutions provide official injury forms while others need you to file a report on your own — you need to be flexible.
2. Make sure the form has all the basic facts
Ensure that the injury form has all the basic facts. It should have blanks for you to give an account of what happened. If this hasn’t been provided, start the report by mentioning the following:
- The time, date and location the accident happened. You need to be extremely accurate with this information.
- Your name and identification number.
- Name of witnesses or anyone that was around during the accident.
3. Include a line about the general nature of the injury
Briefly explain what brought you to the scene of the accident. For example, if you got injured at the phone center, mention the time you were making the phonecall. Give a precise and factual statement explaining what happened.
For example, you could write that you were summoned at particular shopping mall where there was a fire incident. Note that you should only write facts, not what you think might have happened.
4. Write it ASAP
It is important to be timely when filling an injury form. If possible, fill the injury form on the same day the accident happened. Waiting for several days before filling the form is not advised because you might forget critical details about the accident. It is recommended that you write down the basic facts you need to remember as soon as possible. Preferably, fill the injury form within the first 24 hours after the accident.
What to Write in the Injury Form
Apart from the basic information, here are details you should include in the injury form.
Describe what happened
You need to give a chronological account of exactly what happened. Furthermore, provide the full names of everyone you have mentioned in the report. If you are mentioning a name for the first time in your report, cite it by listing the first, middle and last name. Provide the date of birth, gender and social security number of all the people mentioned in your report. In the subsequent sentences, you can refer to them using their first or last names to make the report shorter. If several people were involved in the incident, mention each individual’s account on separate paragraphs. If possible, you can mention direct quotes from witnesses and other people involved in the incident.
Be thorough
Ensure that you write as much as you can remember. By being thorough, you leave no room for readers to misinterpret any information in your report. The essence of an injury form is to give a clear picture of what happened. Give a detailed and accurate account of the events that led to the accident without leaving out any important information.
Be Accurate
Don’t write information that you are not sure if it happened or not. For example, clearly indicate that your report is based on another person’s account if you did not witness it yourself.
Use clear words
When filing an injury report, you should sound confidant. Choose the right words while writing so there would not be any doubts about your complaint. Avoid using flowery and confusing language to describe what happened. You need to be clear and straight to the point.
Polishing the report
After writing your injury, the last step is polishing it and ensuring it is free of errors. Here is how you can do it:
- Double check: Confirm that the basic facts are true. Basic information could be the names of the people involved (ensure that they are correctly mentioned), the dates, time, addresses and social security numbers. Ensure that they match those you have written in your report.
- Edit and proofread: Editing and proofreading your report is very important. Read through it a couple of times to ensure it is coherent and makes sense. Ensure that you haven’t left out any important information. Apart from checking your grammar, make sure that you eliminate any words that could sound judgmental or subjective.
- Submit the report: After everything else is complete, you now need to submit your injury report to the relevant department. Find out the name of the individual or department you should send the report. In situations where you have sent the injury report via email, follow it up with a phone call.
Download Templates
Having trouble creating an injury form template? Worry no more! We have created a wide range of injury form templates that are available on both free download and premium.
