Your Questions Answered: Incident and Accident Reporting


Your Questions Answered: Incident and Accident Reporting

 



MetroPower strives for ZERO OSHA recordable accidents. But when accidents or incidents happen, it is crucial for employees to report them to supervisors or the Safety Department right away! The longer the lead time we have for an incident, the better we can manage it and ensure employees receive the proper medical care. Here are answers to common questions involving accidents or incidents on the job:

What should I do if I am injured at work?
Inform your direct supervisor immediately. If you are unable to reach them, leave a message and contact a member of the Safety Department. They will instruct you in the proper use of first aid or get you to an occupational clinic. Supervisors are responsible for reporting and documenting injuries via the Injury Report form on eCompliance. This report needs to be filled out within 24 hours of the injury and sent to the safety team.

If you’re not sure whether your injury warrants a visit to a clinic, go anyway. An occupational clinic will diagnose the injury and determine the correct treatment. It is vital that you report any injury IMMEDIATELY, not only for the benefit of the company, but to ensure you receive the best care possible. Disciplinary actions may be taken if you supervisor isn’t notified of the injury immediately.

How do I get to the clinic?
After your supervisor is informed and first aid is administered, your supervisor should make arrangements for transportation to the occupational clinic. Under no circumstances should employees drive themselves to a clinic. A supervisor, co-worker or member of the safety team can drive you to the clinic or ER. Driving yourself could result in a vehicle accident, possibly injuring others or adding to your own injury. If your injury is severe, take an ambulance to the nearest hospital.

Is a drug test administered?
Yes, a drug and alcohol test is required after any first visit to a doctor, clinic or after a vehicle accident. A drug and alcohol test is also required if you are driving your personal vehicle for work purposes and does not include your trip from home to your first jobsite of the day or your trip home.

What happens next?
An accident review meeting is conducted if your injury is recordable by OSHA’s standards or the injury can be a learning experience. This meeting involves the president, safety team, Human Resources and your supervisors. This purpose is to determine the cause of the injury, learn from the incident and help MetroPower prevent similar injuries in the future. It is important to inform your supervisor of any follow-up appointments, if the injury reappears or it becomes reoccurring.