Register of Accidents, Incidents and First Aid

The Register of Accidents, Incidents and First Aid is a monitoring tool that is used to record and collect information on injuries or illnesses in the workplace.

What is the purpose of the register?

The Register of Accidents, Incidents and First Aid can be used to learn about and assess the company's health and safety situation. It is also:

• a reference tool for the worker in the event of an aggravation of their injury
• an indicator that enables the employer to better organize first aid and focus their preventive measures

It is recommended that every accident, incident or illness be recorded in the register as soon as possible even if there are no serious consequences.

As part of the prevention process, the register is an important means of identifying hazards in the workplace. It is therefore important that it be kept and that corrective measures be put in place when a work accident occurs. A box is provided to record the corrective measures taken.

Accident or incident?

A work accident is a sudden, unexpected event that occurs at work and results in injury or illness to the workers involved. An injury or illness, even if minor, must be recorded in the register along with a description of the first aid given.

An incident is an event that did not result in injury but could have had serious consequences. For example, an object falling close to a worker, a person tripping over an obstacle or slipping on a surface without being injured.

The higher the number of incidents, the greater the likelihood that an accident will occur. It is therefore recommended that all incidents be recorded in the register so that hazardous work situations can be identified, corrected and controlled.

Who is responsible for the register?

The employer must ensure that all work accidents that occur in their workplace and that do not prevent a worker from working after the day on which they were injured are recorded in the register.

The first aider who gives first aid to the injured worker must fill out the register. They must enter the following information:

• the worker’s first name and surname
• the time of the event
• the exact location of the event (department, sector, identification of the machine)
• a detailed description of the accident or incident
• a description of the injury or the nature of the illness
• a summary of the first aid given 

The register must be signed by the first aider and the injured worker.

After the event, the corrective measures taken following the accident or incident must be noted in detail.

The register must be placed near the first aid kit in an accessible and clearly visible location.

Template for a register

The CNESST provides a template for a register (French only) but the employer can create one that is adapted to their company. The important thing is that the essential information is recorded in the register. Corrective measures and controls can even be added to prevent the event from happening again.