Investing in incident reporting

The aim of the new initiative, which holds the strapline ‘A Safe Place is no Accident’ and is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, is to make it quicker and easier to report incidents, including ‘near misses’ and minor issues, and learn lessons accordingly. Reducing risk in the workplace also provides Axis with a defence against legal compensation claims.

All Axis employees can use Reportline for all accidents, near misses, occupational diseases, fires, dangerous occurrences, environmental incidences, security breaches, and official visits, (for example from local authorities, the SIA and health and safety executives).

Health and safety manager Tracey Hammond says Reportline replaces the current paper-based reporting system: “The move will encourage a culture where incidents are habitually reported as quickly as possible, so that precise events and information are easier to recall, which ultimately helps us to ascertain the cause of the incident.”

The initiative guides employees through a defined process whereby: the area is made safe, removing any potential hazards; injuries are dealt with, seeking first aid if required; facts on who, what, why, where, when and how are established; and crucially a call is then made to Reportline, where professionally trained staff will go through a list of questions designed to help detail key information. Photographs can also be emailed and attached to the incident record.

If further action is required an alert is emailed directly to the supervisor or line manager and health and safety manager. In the event of serious injury the health and safety manager will attend the scene at the earliest opportunity.