How to Fill Out a Workplace Incident Report Form

Why Incident Reports Matter

Every Australian workplace has a legal obligation under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 to record workplace incidents. A properly completed incident report protects your organisation, supports workers' compensation claims, and — most importantly — helps prevent the same incident from happening again.

This guide walks you through completing a WHS-compliant incident report form step by step. You can follow along using our free online incident report form, which includes everything covered here.

Step 1: Record the Incident Reference

Start with the basics that uniquely identify this incident:

• Incident number — Use your organisation's numbering system (e.g. INC-2026-001)
• Date and time — When the incident occurred, not when the report is being written
• Location — Specific area (e.g. "Warehouse B, Aisle 4, near forklift bay")

Step 2: Enter Organisation Details

Record the workplace name, address, and site details. If your organisation has multiple sites, be specific about which location the incident occurred at. Include the ABN if available.

Step 3: Record Patient / Injured Person Details

Capture full details of the affected person:

• Full name, date of birth, contact number
• Role/position and department
• Employment type (full-time, part-time, contractor, visitor)
• Supervisor name and contact

Step 4: Describe What Happened

This is the most important narrative section. Be factual and specific:

• What happened — Describe events in chronological order. Use objective language: "Worker fell from ladder" not "Worker was careless."
• Mechanism of injury — How the injury occurred (fall, struck by, caught between, exposure, etc.)
• Hazard type — Physical, chemical, biological, ergonomic, psychosocial
• Body parts affected — Be specific (e.g. "left forearm, anterior surface")

Step 5: Document Medical History (AMPLE)

The AMPLE framework is a standard clinical assessment used by first aiders and paramedics:

Step 6: Complete the Primary Survey (DRSABCD)

For any injury or medical emergency, document your primary survey using the DRSABCD protocol:

1. D — Danger: Is the scene safe for you, the patient, and bystanders?
2. R — Response: Is the patient conscious? Can they speak? Do they respond to touch?
3. S — Send for Help: Was 000 called? When? What was the response?
4. A — Airway: Is the airway clear? Any obstructions?
5. B — Breathing: Is the patient breathing normally? Rate and quality?
6. C — CPR: Was CPR required? If so, document start time, duration, and who performed it.
7. D — Defibrillation: Was an AED used? How many shocks delivered?

Step 7: Record Vital Signs

If you are trained to do so, record vital signs at regular intervals (every 5–15 minutes depending on severity):

• Pulse — Rate (beats per minute), rhythm, strength
• Respiration — Rate (breaths per minute), depth, effort
• Blood pressure — If available
• SpO2 — Oxygen saturation via pulse oximeter
• Temperature — especially for heat/cold exposure
• Pupils — Size, equality, reactivity to light (PEARL)

Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS)

For head injuries or altered consciousness, assess and record the GCS score:

Total score: 3–15. A score of 13–15 is mild, 9–12 is moderate, and 3–8 is severe. Our free incident report form auto-calculates this for you.

Step 8: Mark Injuries on the Body Map

Use front and rear body diagrams to mark the location, type, and severity of each injury. This provides a visual reference that is invaluable for paramedics, doctors, and investigators. Common markings include:

• Cuts and lacerations
• Burns (specify degree)
• Bruising and swelling
• Fractures (suspected or confirmed)
• Pain points

Step 9: List First Aid Items Used

Record every item taken from the first aid kit during treatment. This serves two purposes: it documents the care provided, and it tells you what needs restocking. Include quantity used and the kit the item came from.

Step 10: Assess If the Incident Is Notifiable

Under the WHS Act, certain incidents must be reported to the regulator immediately. You must notify if the incident involves:

• Death of any person
• Serious injury or illness — amputation, head or spinal injury, serious burns, loss of bodily function, serious lacerations, medical treatment within 48 hours of exposure to a substance
• Dangerous incident — uncontrolled escape of gas/substance, electric shock, fall from height, collapse of structure, projectiles, implosion/explosion

Step 11: Analyse Root Cause

Go beyond "worker error" and identify the systemic factors that contributed to the incident:

• Immediate cause — The direct hazard (e.g. wet floor, faulty equipment)
• Contributing factors — Inadequate training, poor lighting, time pressure, fatigue
• Root cause — The underlying system failure (e.g. no maintenance schedule, missing risk assessment)

Document corrective actions with assigned owners and target dates. Each action should address the root cause, not just the symptom.

Step 12: Get Sign-Off

A completed incident report requires signatures from:

1. First aider — The person who provided treatment
2. Patient — The injured person (if able)
3. Supervisor/manager — Acknowledges the report and takes responsibility for corrective actions

If the patient is unable to sign (e.g. taken to hospital), note this on the form and obtain their signature later when possible.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Delaying the report — Write it up within 24 hours while details are fresh
• Using vague language — "Worker got hurt" vs "Worker sustained a 3cm laceration to left index finger from box cutter"
• Assigning blame — The report documents facts, not fault
• Skipping the root cause — Without root cause analysis, the same incident will happen again
• Missing witness details — Collect names and statements while witnesses are still available
• Not preserving a notifiable scene — Disturbing the scene can result in penalties