Incident

An incident is any event that could lead to or has led to an unintended or unplanned outcome. This can include near misses, unsafe conditions, and actual injuries or damages. Incidents are narrower in scope than events, but broader in scope than accidents and can encompass a range of occurrences, including:

• Near Miss: An event that did not result in injury or damage but had the potential to do so.
• Unsafe Conditions: Situations where safety protocols are not followed, posing a risk of harm.
• Property Damage: Damage to equipment, materials, or structures without causing injury.
• Environmental Harm: Where the environment is harmed, even when no people or property were in danger.

The concept of incidents is used in HSEQ context to help define when something that happened should be recorded for future analysis.