Incidents Reports

An Incident Report . . .
• Describes an unusual event that happened at a
facility
• Explains how/why the event occurred
• Explains how the event was handled by people on
scene
• Describes the action taken in response to the event
• May make recommendations
• Often seen by outside readers
Purpose of an Incident
Report
• to document the exact details of the occurrence
while they are fresh in the minds of those who
witnessed the event
• may be used when dealing with liability issues
stemming from the incident (therefore, they must
present the facts without any opinion or
inference)
The Importance of
Objectivity
• Incident reports should record what happened as
objectively as possible so that another individual
reading the report can get the most reliable
account of what happened
• Your job is to report on the observable facts –
what you saw and heard and what you said or did
• Incident reports should not include your feelings,
opinions, or emotions.
Guidelines for Writing
Incident Reports
•Keep your verb tense consistent.
• The entire report should be written in past tense
because it recounts events that have already occurred.
• Be specific, clear, and concise.
• Keep the sequence of events chronological and accurate.
• When using pronouns like “he,” “she,” “they,” or “we,”
make sure the antecedents (the words they’re referring to)
are clear.
• Use active voice.
• Stephanie grabbed the plate from the DSW (instead of
The plate was grabbed from the DSW).
Typical Headings
• Date, Time, and Location
• Staff Members Present/On Duty
• Name(s) of Person(s) Involved/Witnesses
• Summary
• Background
• Details of Incident
• Outcome
• Recommendations/Follow-up
• Report Submitted by/Signature/Position
Date, Time, and Location

Date: January 5, 2020

Time: 7:15 p.m.
Location: McNeil House
Name(s) of Person(s)
Involved/Witnesses

Name(s) of Person(s) Involved:

Elif D. (or E.D.) – client
Katherine Bowie – staff member
Ian W. (or I.W.) – client
Harry Newault – staff member
Summary(one sentence)
Verbal altercation between a front-line
worker and a client.

https://officevibe.com/blog/dealing-with-employee-conflict-in-workplace
Background
Events Leading to the Incident: Elif D., a
regular client of our drop-in centre, arrived at
the centre on January 5 at 7:15 p.m. She
signed in at the front desk and then went into
the TV lounge. At that time, staff member
Katherine Bowie and client Ian W. were
watching a nature show. Elif took the remote
control and changed the channel.
Details of Incident
Details of Incident: Ian told Elif to change the channel back,
and Elif refused. I (Katherine Bowie) then asked Elif to change
the channel back. She refused again. I approached Elif, put
out my hand, and asked for the remote control. Elif refused to
comply. At this time, I was approximately a metre from Elif,
and I smelled alcohol on her breath. I asked Elif if she had
been drinking that evening. She replied, “What’s it to you?”
Centre policy dictates that clients cannot attend while under
the influence of alcohol, so I asked Elif to leave. She started
pacing back and forth and screaming obscenities at me. I
asked her to leave again. Elif complied, and, as she left, she
continued to scream obscenities, which Harry Newault also
heard from where he was working at the front desk.
Outcome
As per McNeil House policy, Elif is banned
from the centre for 30 days. I have added her
name to the Banned Clients list, and I will
place a copy of this report in her file.
Recommendations/Follow-
up
Recommendations: Consider requiring staff
members to greet clients face-to face as they
are signing in at the centre to informally
screen for alcohol use. Consider
implementing a policy about the use of the
TV/remote control.
Report Submitted
by/Signature/Position
Report Submitted by: Katherine Bowie
Signature: Katherine Bowie
Position: Staff Member
A Good Report is Objective
• Avoid words that have connotations that will
change the meaning of a sentence.

The teen attacked the old homeless woman.

The teen hit the elderly woman several times with a stick.

• Avoid slanting your description of an

incident to favour one side or the other.
Objective
Several witnesses reported hearing the
couple arguing about money. Jackson
allegedly hit Sienna with his fist in her face
during the argument. I found Sienna with a
bloody nose and a swollen cheek.
Slanted
Numerous witnesses reported that the
couple had been fighting because Jackson
could not hold down a job. Jackson slugged
Sienna in the face because he was furious
that she brought up the subject. I found
Sienna with severe injuries to the face,
including a bloody nose and a badly swollen
cheek.
Slanted the Other Way
Several witnesses reported that the couple
had been arguing because Sienna kept
nagging Jackson about being laid off. Sienna
became so hostile that Jackson momentarily
lost control and slapped her in the face.
Sienna claimed to have been badly beaten,
but she had only a little bit of blood beneath
her nose and a slightly red cheek.