Incident Response, Emergency Procedures and Reporting
Domain 5 tests the first minutes of an incident: safety, life support, escalation, scene preservation and a report that can be relied on later.
Response sequence
- Approach safely: assess the scene for traffic, fire, electrical, chemical or violence before helping. Protect life first, then secure the area, then preserve the scene.
- Alert using the site's emergency code and call 999 for police, fire or ambulance. Give exact location, nature of incident, number of casualties, hazards and access route. Send someone to meet the emergency services.
- Do not move a casualty unless there is immediate danger; use first-aid training and keep a record of times and observations.
- Preserve evidence: do not touch weapons, tools, documents or CCTV; record names, designations and contact details of witnesses; seal the area if possible.
Report writing
Use the 5W1H: who, what, when, where, why, how. Write in chronological order, in the first person, using 24-hour time, and separate fact from opinion. Include actions taken, witnesses, property involved, police reference and your signature. Correct errors with a single line and initials, never by overwriting.
Worked example
A visitor slips in a wet lobby. Reasoning: the guard checks for ongoing danger, does not lift the casualty, calls an ambulance, covers the person for dignity and warmth, cordons the area, identifies the spill source, photographs the scene before cleaning, and records witness details. He notes that the 'wet floor' sign was absent and reports it, without writing that the cleaner 'caused' the fall.
Traps
Moving an injured person; writing opinions as facts; delaying the report until shift end; cleaning up before photographing; altering the log; failing to preserve CCTV.