{"id":66830,"date":"2022-09-20T10:22:29","date_gmt":"2022-09-20T10:22:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/trainanddevelop.ca\/tips-for-developing-a-workplace-incident-response-plan\/"},"modified":"2026-04-29T07:36:55","modified_gmt":"2026-04-29T07:36:55","slug":"tips-for-developing-a-workplace-incident-response-plan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/trainanddevelop.ca\/fr\/blog\/tips-for-developing-a-workplace-incident-response-plan\/","title":{"rendered":"Tips for Developing a Workplace Incident Response Plan"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"People<\/a><\/p>\n

No matter what industry you\u2019re in, it never hurts to hope for the best \u2013 and plan for the worst. This is why so many businesses foster a workplace safety culture<\/a>, or emphasize training for their employees. But when it comes to outlining a concrete incident response plan, what actually needs to be included? The plan should be broad enough to cover a variety of situations, but also specific enough to direct individual response efforts in the most efficient way possible.<\/p>\n

Another thing to note about incident response plans is that they should be tailored for each company. Many businesses have incident response plans on file just to keep the insurance companies happy, but that doesn\u2019t do them much good once it\u2019s time for the rubber to meet the road. Instead, an incident response plan should be thoroughly developed, tested, and updated to reflect any changes.<\/p>\n

One organization could develop an incident response plan that details the steps to take in the event of a cyberattack, while another could have an incident response plan to address work-related injuries. What kind of incident response plan could your company benefit from? Here are some tips to help get the ball rolling.<\/p>\n

Explore this Article:<\/h2>\n
    \n
  1. Tip #1: Establish Your Company\u2019s Definition of an \u201cIncident\u201d<\/a><\/li>\n
  2. Tip #2: Develop and Distribute an Incident Response Contact List<\/a><\/li>\n
  3. Tip #3: Build an Emergency Kit<\/a><\/li>\n
  4. Tip #4: Specify the Responsibilities of Key Leaders During a Workplace Incident Response<\/a><\/li>\n
  5. Tip #5: Include a Plan for Streamlined Communication<\/a><\/li>\n
  6. Tip #6: Determine How the Incident Will be Recorded or Reported<\/a><\/li>\n
  7. Tip #7: Decide How the Incident Response Plan Will be Updated<\/a><\/li>\n
  8. What Could Your Company\u2019s Workplace Incident Response Plan Look Like?<\/a><\/li>\n
  9. Resources<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    <\/a>Tip #1: Establish Your Company\u2019s Definition of an \u201cIncident\u201d<\/h2>\n

    It\u2019s important to distinguish between incidents vs. accidents<\/a>. An \u201cincident\u201d is an unexpected event that could have<\/em> caused injury or significant losses. This isn\u2019t quite the same thing as an \u201caccident\u201d, which is an unexpected event that did<\/em> cause injury or significant losses.<\/p>\n

    What you need to do is establish what \u201cincident\u201d means for your organization. If you have an incident response plan in place that gets triggered in certain situations, it\u2019s crucial to know what those situations are (and aren\u2019t).<\/p>\n

    Otherwise, the response plan could be triggered without sufficient reason \u2013 or it could be delayed while the definition of \u201cincident\u201d gets debated by those at the scene. For example, let\u2019s say someone recognizes the symptoms of heat-related illness<\/a> in a co-worker. Is it time to activate the incident response plan, or would that be overkill? The same goes for equipment malfunction, a cybersecurity breach, or anything that puts the company or its employees at risk. With a clear definition of what does and doesn\u2019t constitute an \u201cincident\u201d, the best decision can be made without wasting time.<\/p>\n

    <\/a>Tip #2: Develop and Distribute an Incident Response Contact List<\/h2>\n

    In order to coordinate an incident response in the workplace, you\u2019ll have to communicate with the right people. If you\u2019re in the middle of a tense situation, however, that\u2019s hardly the time to be asking around for so-and-so\u2019s phone number. Whether you post it on the wall in the breakroom, or send it via email, a contact list will facilitate communications when responding to an incident.<\/p>\n

    <\/a>Tip #3: Build an Emergency Kit<\/h2>\n

    \"Construction<\/a>The exact contents of this kit will vary according to the needs of the organization, but here are some items to consider including:<\/p>\n