On an incident report, which of the following information should be collected?
A. Payment for emergency assistance
B. Medical history of the injured person
C. Site of the incident
D. Number of members in the facility at the time of the incident
The correct answer and explanation is:
Correct Answer: C. Site of the incident
Explanation:
An incident report is a formal record documenting details of an unexpected event, such as an accident or injury, that occurs in a workplace or facility. The primary purpose of an incident report is to document facts to help with future investigations, risk management, and prevention of similar events.
Among the options provided, the site of the incident (C) is crucial and necessary information that should be collected in every incident report. The location helps responders, supervisors, and investigators understand exactly where the event occurred. This can aid in identifying environmental or procedural factors that contributed to the incident. For example, if a person slipped in a hallway, knowing the exact location helps check for hazards like wet floors, poor lighting, or missing signage.
Now let’s examine why the other options are not appropriate or less relevant for an incident report:
- A. Payment for emergency assistance: Financial information is typically handled separately by administrative or billing departments. It is not part of the factual details needed for documenting the incident.
- B. Medical history of the injured person: Although the injured person’s condition at the time of the incident should be described, their full medical history is protected by privacy laws like HIPAA (in the U.S.) or similar confidentiality policies in other regions. It’s also not directly relevant unless it contributed to the incident and was disclosed voluntarily.
- D. Number of members in the facility: While it might be useful in some emergency planning contexts, this information is generally not included in standard incident reports unless crowding was a contributing factor.
In summary, documenting the site of the incident is a standard and essential part of every incident report. It contributes directly to understanding what happened, where, and how similar events can be prevented in the future.