Policy 2.14: Incident reporting

VRPM POLICY IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE
2.14 Incident reporting
Any accident or injury to or by a volunteer is reported immediately to the
supervisor or other SMP authority. An “incident” may also include, but is not
limited to, an error in judgment, other misstep, or substandard performance
(particularly in relation to provision of services to beneficiaries), lost possession,
boundary breach, offensive remark, sense of risk or peril while on duty, etc.
An incident reporting form and protocol exists. Volunteers complete required
accident and injury reports promptly following any incident.
Rationale
The SMP is responsible for the safety and well-being of volunteers just as it is
for the safety and well-being of paid personnel. As with paid personnel where
occupational health and safety and labor laws generally make reporting
mandatory, volunteers’ workplace injuries and accidents need to be reported. In
this policy, “incident” is broadly defined to ensure that the SMP/VHO is aware of
all kinds of risk-related problems arising during volunteer work.
While the policy requires an Incident Report Form and protocol to be in place,
use of a standardized form is not required, based on the assumption that most
SMPs/VHOs will already have an incident report form and protocol in place. We
did not want to set up a conflict with an existing system. For SMPs/VHOs that
do not have an incident report form and/or protocol in place, templates are
provided in the Resources section as guides to development. Volunteers should
be subjected to the same reporting protocol as employees with the exception of
mandatory reports to worker compensation insurance authorities for employees’
accident benefits that do not apply to volunteers.
Compliance
• This policy is required.
• This policy must be implemented by the end of June 2013.
Implementation Plan
1. Ensure that an Incident Report Form and Incident Reporting Protocol are in
place in the SMP/VHO where SMP volunteers work. If they do not exist,
develop them (see the Resources section for assistance).
2.14 Incident reporting Page 1
May 2012

VRPM POLICY IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE
Resources
2. If a system is already in place, take this opportunity to remind both paid staff
and volunteers of the policy and its protocol, ensuring in particular that
volunteers understand that the protocol also applies to them. If no incident
report form or system has been in place, notify current volunteers of the
VRPM policy and ensure their understanding of, and comfort with, the VRPM
policy.
3. Add the Incident Reporting Protocol to the training program for all new
volunteers.
• Sample Incident Report Form
• Sample Incident Reporting Protocol
2.14 Incident reporting Page 2
May 2012