Gribbins Insulation

Incidents can be minor, major or SEVERE, but we still consider these to all be incidents. They also need to be investigated in order to identify the “WHO”, “WHAT”, “WHEN”, “WHY”, and “HOW”. Timely and efficient reporting is critical regardless of the severity of the incident. Even if one does not need medical attention, it is just as important to report these incidents.

Accidents in many times begin and develop from atypical occasions or tasks. With this being said they sometimes provide little information about the possibility of a future incident. In contrast, the greater and higher frequency of incidents, the more information they give of human error, process failures, site evaluations, and procedure weaknesses. The documentation of these issues helps determine the root causes, which will help the likelihood of us repeating failures.

Nothing is learned from an unreported incident. As many of us can attests, many incidents come within inches from being a life altering injury, which should make reporting them more serious. When an incident goes unreported, the preventative measures or controls go uncorrected. This means that if it happens again, it could cause tomorrow’s life altering injury or fatality.

Why is incident reporting necessary?

• Process, so a situation can be corrected
• Informing management of problems
• Prompt medical attention
• Preventing more sever incidents
• Documenting to track patterns
• Incident reports to prevent lawsuits
• Reporting minor incidents, to hopefully reduce cost of a major incident
• Feedback from incidents, encouraging employee involvement
• Creates a stronger safety culture
• Awareness of threats, other hazards
• Encourages improvement
• Inspires urgency

Immediate action may be needed, depending on the severity of the incident or even the existing hazard that caused the incident. In certain situations, we may have to activate the emergency procedure in order to take immediate action, such as fire alarms or EMTs.

When an accident happens, a first aid program that meets the requirements of the law and is tailored to the type and size of the workplace can literally make the difference between life and death, or between recovery and permanent disablement.

Posted Emergency Notice

Supervisors should have information readily available that list emergency facilities in case of a serious injury.  The emergency notice should state the phone numbers of the closest ambulance service, fire/rescue unit, police station, and hospital.  The amount of time it takes to look up one of these important numbers can make a big difference to a seriously injured person.  The location of first aid equipment and rescue equipment should also be posted prominently.

Accessible First Aid Kits

First aid equipment and supplies should be stored where they can be reached quickly and easily in case of an accident.  These supplies should be inspected frequently, making sure they are kept in sanitary and usable condition and re-stocked after use.  Larger workplaces may need more than one, fully equipped first aid kit.

In isolated work sites, emergency supplies and an action plan are especially important.  If first aid is not given properly, it can sometimes hurt rather than help an injured or ill person, or even be harmful to the person giving the first aid.  All workers should know where the emergency first aid equipment is located, and what medical professional or medical facility should be contacted if a medical emergency should occur.  If there are questions in regards to facility, contact someone in the safety department.

These are simple objectives to administer when providing First Aid to an injured person until professional help arrives.

• Make sure you and the victim are not in any danger.
• Maintain individual breathing
• Maintain blood circulation
• Prevent continued loss of blood
• Prevent or treat for shock
• Contact the nearest Medical Services as soon as possible.

One of the handy tips for caring for a victim: If the face is red, raise the head.  If the face is pale, raise their feet to help reduce or prevent shock from setting in.

Check to make sure someone on your jobsite has a current first Aid- CPR certification, if no one does make sure that you contact the Gribbins Safety Department to see when the next scheduled class will be.