 There's a lot of stuff that goes on at the construction site. And no matter how careful you are, accidents can happen. By accident, we mean any event that results in an injury. This includes any form of discomfort, such as heat stroke. When an injury is minor and the worker is able to return to work quickly, it's a no-time-loss accident. When the injury is more serious and the worker needs to see a doctor, it's a lost-time accident. However, if no one gets hurt but the event could have resulted in injury, instead of it being called an accident, it's an incident. Incidents, like accidents, must be recorded in a register of accidents, incidents, and first aid. You're required by law to keep this register. But it's also extremely useful. For instance, if a minor injury gets worse and the worker has to consult a doctor, you can go back to the register to follow up on the accidental event. What's more, the information in the register can help you keep your first aid kit up to date and see at a glance if anything is missing. But, most importantly, the information in the register can help you remedy the situation and prevent future accidents. Even before an accident occurs, you need to be prepared. This means developing a procedure to follow if an accident occurs. All of your workers must be aware of this procedure. They must know what has to be done, under what circumstances, and by whom. At the very least, they must understand that it is mandatory to notify their supervisor after an event occurs, and they need to do it as soon as possible. When a lost time accident occurs, an accident report must be filed. It goes without saying. The first step is to administer first aid. Then you must make any necessary emergency repairs and remove or control all potential sources of danger. Get in touch with your advisor to relay information about the accident as soon as possible. Ideally on the same day, following an accident, hand a copy of the worker's toolkit to the injured worker and make sure they fill out the accident report. If they're unable to fill it out right away, make sure it's done as soon as possible. When the worker goes to see the doctor, ensure they bring a copy of the temporary assignment form with them to every appointment. As soon as possible after visiting the doctor, it's important that the worker provide you with a copy of the medical assessment and temporary assignment forms signed by the attending physician. The temporary assignment form specifies if, when, and how the worker can safely return to work. The attending physician might recommend a return to work in a light-duty capacity with certain restrictions or limitations. Or the physician might decide to put the worker on leave in addition to prescribing treatment. In any case, it's important to respect and follow all of the physician's recommendations. It's good practice to put together a list of your worker's tasks that they can give to the doctor if they get injured. This can help the doctor make a more positive assessment of the worker's return to work. Once the worker and the job site are safe, you must carry out an investigation and analysis of the accident and fill out the necessary form. This will help everyone understand what happened and how to prevent a similar accident from happening again. Filling out an accident report isn't rocket science. There are only five things to keep in mind. 1. When the lost-time accident occurs, give us a call right away so we can help you manage everything. 2. Always have worker toolkits on hand. 3. Hand a toolkit to the injured worker and make sure they always bring a copy of the temporary assignment form with them to every appointment. 4. Keep a record of all accidents and incidents. And 5. Always send a copy of all documents to your advisor.