What does “Incident report” mean?
Short answer
An incident report is a written record of an unplanned event that hurt, or could have hurt, a person or property. It starts the review.
Also known as: event report, occurrence report, accident report
What it is
It records what happened, when and where, who was involved, what was done right away and who knows more. It is the first record, not the last. The investigation adds causes and fixes.
Healthcare often says variance, occurrence or patient safety event report. CMS requires adverse events to be tracked and acted on, but no federal rule sets one healthcare form.
Records the law defines
| Record | Who needs it | Key rule |
|---|---|---|
| OSHA Form 301, Injury and Illness Incident Report | Employers who keep OSHA records, for each recordable case | Finish within 7 calendar days of learning of the case. An equal form, like an insurance form, is allowed (29 CFR 1904.29) |
| Process safety incident investigation report | Employers covered by 29 CFR 1910.119 | Start within 48 hours. List dates, a description, contributing factors and advice. Keep five years |
| Healthcare event report | Hospitals, surgery centers, nursing homes | No single federal form. It feeds the adverse event tracking QAPI requires |
Mix-up: an incident report is not an investigation. Keep what you saw apart from opinions about cause or blame.
Frequently asked questions
What should an incident report include?
Date, time and place; what happened; who was involved; what was done; who was told. Causes come later. Write what you saw, not who was at fault.
How soon must an incident report be completed?
There is no single clock. OSHA Form 301 is due within 7 calendar days of learning of a recordable case. A process safety investigation must start within 48 hours. States may add deadlines.
Who should fill out the incident report?
The person who saw or found the event, soon, while details are fresh. A supervisor or risk manager then reviews it and picks the investigation level.
Sources
- AHRQ PSNet: Patient safety event reporting (primer)
- 29 CFR 1904.29: Forms (OSHA 300, 300-A and 301)
- OSHA 29 CFR 1910.119: Process safety management of highly hazardous chemicals
- 42 CFR 482.21: Hospital QAPI condition of participation
- 42 CFR 416.43: ASC QAPI condition for coverage
- 42 CFR 483.75: Nursing home QAPI
Reviewed against the sources above on Oct 5, 2026. Rules change: confirm current requirements with the issuing body or your counsel before relying on any summary.
Put the definition to work.
IncidentKit turns these terms into workflow: reports, investigations, corrective actions and packets.