Accident Reporting

This policy is designed to ensure that employees, students, contractors, and visitors follow safe work practices, report unsafe works conditions, promptly report accidents and incidents, and work to prevent reoccurrence. This policy applies to all College employees, students, contractors, and visitors when engaged in a College-sponsored activity-taking place on or off campus.

Preventing future accidents is the focus of accident reporting and investigating. It is very important to avoid placing blame or finding fault with the involved workers or others. An accusing attitude will only hinder the collection of facts. Thorough investigation of all accidents this will lead to identification of accident causes and to assist in reducing accidents and injuries in the future. It will help employees develop an awareness of workplace problems, hazards identify areas for process improvement to increase safety, and note areas where training is needed.

Accidents include all sudden or non-sudden events that cause injury to a person. Even "minor" injuries such as cuts or sprains are considered accidents. If in doubt, treat a situation as if it were an accident. Incidents include near-miss events that have the potential of causing personal injury. Any event that causes damage to College property is also considered an incident. Serious accidents are events leading to or causing serious bodily injury to an employee (e.g., amputation, loss of an eye, crushing injury, heart attack, loss of consciousness, toxic gas exposure, obvious fracture, or profuse bleeding).

Employees and students are responsible for following safe practices, reporting any conditions that they consider unsafe to their supervisor or the Environmental Health and Safety Officer (EH&S Officer), and promptly reporting all accidents and incidents to their supervisor or EH&S Officer.

The Human Resource Office is responsible for all employee relations and workman’s compensation reportable accidents and injuries.

The Student Health Services provide medical services to students through the Student Health Services for minor walk-in accidents and injuries. At the discretion of Health Services a student can be transported off campus for more treatment that may require a hospital setting.

Employee accidents requiring emergency medical care should immediately contact the College Campus Police (911), who will respond and provide immediate assistance, including first aid. If an injury requires further medical attention, the Campus Police will make the necessary arrangements. The supervisor will then call Human Resources to report the injury, if the employee is unable to report the injury themselves.

Students injured in emergencies should be reported immediately to the College Campus Police as soon as possible. Visitors should report accidents and injuries to the Campus Police. Contractors will notify the College’s Project Manager.

For employee accidents, the employee must complete the Accident Report Form. Unless the employee is incapable of filing the Accident Report Form the immediate supervisor would complete the form and immediately submit the form to Human Resources.

Accident Investigations are conducted by the EH&S Officer and will periodically review accident and incident reports to identify trends, root causes and potential corrective actions.