What Is a Construction Incident Report?
A construction incident report is a formal record of any event on a job site that could cause or has caused harm. This includes worker injuries, equipment damage, and unsafe conditions.
Filing an incident report immediately helps identify who was involved, what happened, and what was done. It’s a key part of health and safety practices in the construction industry, used to reduce risk, inform project managers, and prevent similar incidents in the future. You can also strengthen your job site protections by having a solid construction contract in place before the project begins.
Use one after:
- An accident or injury, even if minor
- Property damage or equipment involved
- Hazard exposure or unsafe site conditions
- A near-miss that could have caused harm
These reports support effective risk management, meet legal requirements, and provide the right documentation if legal action arises.
How to Write a Construction Incident Report
A good construction incident report clearly captures what happened, who was involved, and how it was addressed. It should be factual, detailed, and timely.
Here’s how to create one:
- Record basic information: Include the date of the incident, time, and construction site location.
- Identify people involved: Add names, contact details, roles, and if applicable, injuries or illnesses.
- Describe the incident: Share what occurred, how it happened, and any site or weather conditions that may have contributed.
- Detail medical treatment: Indicate whether first aid or hospital care was required and by whom.
- Explain actions taken: What was done immediately after, including any equipment shutdowns or access restrictions?
- List witnesses: Names and contact details of anyone who saw the incident.
- Attach supporting documents: Photos, diagrams, or reports that provide extra context.
- Ensure signatures: The person reporting the incident should sign and date the form.
Clear reports prevent future risks, manage incident rates and keep construction workers safe.
If an incident causes changes to the scope of your project, use a construction change order form to document updates.
Construction Incident Report Sample
Below, you can view a sample construction incident report. You can customize this template using Legal Templates’ document editor, and then download it in PDF or Word format.
Create a Report with Confidence
Legal Templates makes it easy to document construction site incidents quickly and accurately. Our construction incident report template is professionally designed to help you stay compliant, reduce risk, and prevent future incidents. Fill it in online, download it as a PDF or Word file, and access it anytime.
Having an emergency action plan in place ensures your crew is prepared to act quickly and safely when incidents occur.
