The consequences of not reporting safety incidents
Grant works in an office in the city. One morning he went to the office kitchen to make a cup of tea. As Grant was walking to the fridge to get some milk, he slipped on a puddle of water, falling backwards and hitting his head causing a serious head injury requiring transport to hospital.
On checking, Grant’s HSR discovered that the fridge in the kitchen had been leaking, producing puddles of water on the floor. When discussing the incident with Grant’s work colleagues they revealed that a number of workers had almost slipped on the water over a period of several weeks.
In isolation, a leaking fridge may not seem like much of a big deal. However, the fact that several people had almost slipped over as a result of the leak indicates a trend that should have been reported as a safety hazard. If Grant’s work colleagues were proactive in reporting this potential hazard, Grant may have avoided a head injury and months of rehabilitation.
