The Incident Book

The Incident Book in the construction sector is a fundamental pillar for the development of worker health and safety on any construction site. To ensure that appropriate preventive measures are taken and a safe working environment is maintained, the Incident Book is an essential tool.

Regulated by Royal Decree 1627/1997 , this tool plays a crucial role in supervising and monitoring the Health and Safety Plan for each project. In this article, we will take an in-depth look at what it is, what its function is, who manages it, and how it contributes to improving safety conditions on construction sites.

What is the Incident Book

The Incident Book is an official document whose purpose is to act as a control and monitoring register for the Health and Safety Plan on a construction site. According to Article 13 of Royal Decree 1627/1997, this book must be present in all workplaces involving construction work and shall be authorised for this purpose by the competent authority. It consists of numbered sheets issued in duplicate, and its main function is to document any observations, warnings or incidents related to health and safety on the site.

The Incident Book must be issued by the Professional Association to which the technician who approved the Health and Safety Plan belongs or, in the case of public works, by the corresponding project supervision office. In addition, it must be correctly numbered and registered, ensuring adequate control over its use.

Objectives of the Incident Book

The main objective of the Incident Book is to ensure compliance with the Health and Safety Plan on site. This document provides all parties involved with a clear overview of the safety conditions and preventive measures that must be taken to avoid risks. Among the most relevant objectives of the Incident Book are:

Monitor and verify compliance with the Health and Safety Plan.

It acts as a verification mechanism to ensure that the preventive measures established in the plan are being complied with at all times.

Record Observations, Warnings, and Non-Compliance

Any risk situation, warning or breach of the plan must be duly documented in the Incident Book, ensuring that each incident is properly followed up.

Facilitate communication between the parties involved

Contractors, subcontractors, self-employed workers, workers’ representatives, and the Health and Safety Coordinator must be aware of the entries made in the book to ensure effective coordination.

Ensuring Accessibility to Safety Information

The book must be available to all those who have responsibility for health and safety on the site, promoting transparency in safety management.

Features of the Incident Book

The Incident Book is characterised by being accessible to a wide variety of actors involved in the project. These parties include the project management team, the health and safety coordinator, contractors and subcontractors, self-employed workers, workers’ representatives and technicians from specialised public administration bodies. This book must remain on site and must be managed in such a way that any authorised person can access it when needed.

The Health and Safety Coordinator , or failing that, the project management team, is responsible for maintaining and guaranteeing access to the logbook, as well as determining the procedures for informing all those involved of any entries or incidents that are recorded. In this regard, the function of continuous control and monitoring of the Health and Safety Plan is reinforced through the proper management of the Incident Logbook.

What should be noted in the incident log

The Incident Book is considered a control and monitoring tool. Everything related to worker health and safety and compliance with the Health and Safety Plan must be recorded in it. Among the entries that must be made are:

Warnings and Observations

Any warning intended to ensure compliance with the Health and Safety Plan. It is important to specify whether the entry corresponds to a reiteration of previous warnings or whether it is a new observation.

Failure to Comply with Security Measures

In the event of serious breaches of health and safety measures, these must be recorded in the Incident Book and the safety coordinator must notify the contractor concerned and the workers’ representatives.

Suspension of Mining Operations Due to Serious Risk

When a breach is observed that poses a serious and imminent risk to worker safety, the coordinator shall be authorised to order the suspension of the affected work. This type of action must also be recorded in the logbook, specifying the reasons for the suspension.

Modifications to the Health and Safety Plan

Any modification made to the Health and Safety Plan must be recorded in the Incident Book, indicating what the modification consists of and its approval by the coordinator.

Workplace Incidents or Accidents

Accidents that occur on site and the investigations carried out into these events must also be documented, as well as the preventive measures implemented as a result of them.

Who can make entries in the Incident Book

The Incident Book can be used by various parties involved in the development of the project. The main parties who can make entries include:

– Health and safety coordinator: Responsible for verifying compliance with the Health and Safety Plan and recording any warnings or incidents related to it.

– Project management: Responsible for supervising the correct execution of the work and noting any aspects related to the health and safety of workers.

– Contractors and subcontractors: They may note the preventive measures they are implementing to ensure compliance with the Health and Safety Plan.

– Employee representatives: They have the authority to record any incidents they observe in relation to the occupational health and safety of employees.

Accessibility and Incident Book Management

In order for the Incident Book to fulfil its function, it is essential to ensure that it is accessible. The health and safety coordinator, or the project management team in their absence, must ensure that the Incident Book is available on site and that authorised persons know how and where to access it. They must also establish clear procedures for communicating any entries made, not only to contractors, but also to workers’ representatives and, where necessary, to the Labour and Social Security Inspectorate (ITSS).

The regulations also stipulate that, in the event that an entry refers to a breach of prior warnings, a copy of said entry must be sent to the ITSS within 24 hours. This measure seeks to strengthen public control and ensure that immediate action is taken to correct risky situations.

Practical Examples of Entries in the Incident Book

To better illustrate the use of the Incident Book., here are some typical examples of annotations made during the course of a work:

– Serious risk situations: During an inspection visit, the health and safety coordinator observes that the perimeter railings necessary to prevent falls from height have not been installed. This deficiency is noted in the Incident Book, communicated to the contractor, and work is immediately halted until the situation is remedied.

– Modifications to the Health and Safety Plan: On a construction site where it is decided to introduce a new procedural annex for work at height, the health and safety coordinator must note the modification and its approval in the L.I., ensuring that all those involved are aware of the new measure.

– Repeated non-compliance: During a subsequent visit, the same non-compliance that had already been noted during a previous visit is detected (lack of adequate protection in a work area). In this case, the L.I. must specify that this is a repeated non-compliance and send a copy of the note to the ITSS.

Importance of the Incident Log in Preventive Culture

The Incident Book should not be viewed as a mere bureaucratic requirement, but rather as an instrumental tool for promoting a culture of prevention in the construction sector. Proper use of the Incident Book allows for adequate monitoring of all preventive measures, identification of areas for improvement, and assurance that the necessary actions are being taken to maintain a safe working environment.

One of the most common problems detected by the Labour Authority is that, in many cases, the Incident Book is blank or contains very few entries, reflecting a lack of effective use. This situation may be considered fraudulent, as it is perceived as a way of avoiding public control of safety conditions on the site. It is therefore essential that the necessary entries are made and that all parties involved take the Incident Book seriously as a tool for continuous improvement in occupational health and safety.

In conclusion, the Incident Book is a key element in health and safety management on construction sites. Its correct implementation and use ensures compliance with the Health and Safety Plan, facilitates communication between the different parties involved and reinforces the culture of prevention in the sector. At Q-Safety, we are committed to safety on construction sites and have the necessary experience to advise and coordinate the proper management of these tools, ensuring a safe working environment for everyone.

Do you have any questions about how to manage the Incident Book on your construction site? Contact us and we will help you implement best practices in occupational health and safety!