Difference between accident and incident

Difference between accident and incident: They are two terms that usually tend to be confused. The reason the two terms confuse people is because they are commonly used interchangeably. To begin with, we must be clear that “accident” is not a synonymous term for “incident”, for this reason, if we are strict we should not use it interchangeably. But they shouldn't be. So let's muniriyathse (safety zone) clarify the difference between accident and incident.

In the world of work and everyday life, you hear these terms all the time, likely, you have also used them, but did you wonder what the difference is? The incidents can be classified as:

1. Incidents with harm (adverse events) are called accident
2. Incidents without damage are called near miss
3. The incident with a high potential to cause death or serious injury is called a dangerous occurrence

The main difference between "accident" and "incident" is that the former results in personal injury or property damage. While the latter does not result in personal injuries or property damage.

Learning to differentiate them is key when implementing an Occupational Health and Safety System. Below, we show you the concept of each of them and what differentiating aspects they present:

• If an incident is a “near miss,” it is an event that does not result in harm but has the potential to cause harm. Near miss (which is a recordable internal incident and must be investigated and recorded).
• An accident is a specific event that results in injury, death or ill health of an employee or a member of the public.
• If it is a "dangerous occurrence" then it is a set of circumstances rather than a specific event that could potentially cause injury. 

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What is the difference between an accident and an incident?

Knowing what an incident and an accident are is important in legal terms. For example, in common language, we often use » incident » and » accident » as negative connotations.

However, in workplace safety, each word has a precise meaning. Whether you are a site supervisor or safety manager, you must understand the difference between accidents and incidents, as the exact nature of an event determines the legal and practical outcomes, as well as the procedures that come into play.

Of course, each company has its specific definitions and rules about what constitutes an accident versus an incident, in some organizations, an "accident" includes a serious injury or illness, while an "incident" includes damage to property, unexpected danger or minor injury.

That said, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) avoids the word “accident” because its meaning in general language has associations with “inevitable” and “not serious,” while they use “incident” to describe any negative event in the workplace.

While that may seem confusing, that's why OSHA wants safety planners to focus on prevention, and the best way to do that is to discourage unexpected and harmful events at a site.

Accident and incident difference

Generally, any workplace incident ( injury) gives a worker the right to claim workers' compensation, especially if they incur medical expenses or are forced to miss work, since if someone needs more than basic first aid they can file a claim, which is called an accident. Other differences between accidents and incidents are recordable and reportable, let’s see later.

OSHA requires organizations to report the most serious safety and health findings directly to them within 24 hours. These reports automatically trigger a site visit and investigation, which is something companies want to avoid as much as possible.

Reportable incidents include:

• Inpatient Hospitalization
• Amputation
• Loss of an eye
• Death

Additionally, certain results are required to be recorded and reviewed during an inspection, investigation or audit.

Recordable incidents include:

• Any reportable incident, in addition to injuries or illnesses that require
• Days away from work, restricted work, or transfer to another job
• Medical treatment beyond first aid
• Loss of consciousness
• Other diagnosis of significant injury or illness by a licensed healthcare professional

What is an accident?

It is an event of an unforeseen, uncontrolled, unplanned nature that leads to injuries or material damage. In the latter case, it would also be classified as a crime, according to the consequences caused and the laws of each country.

In the field of industrial safety, the term workplace accident is used to refer to the damage that a worker may suffer during the performance of their work. The delimitations of this definition correspond to the laws of each country and local authorities regarding worker protection.

A work accident can be caused by another worker, by the company's machinery or materials, or by fortuitous circumstances. This could include, but is not limited to:  

• Sprain 
• Laceration 
• Broken bone 
• Concussion 
• Unconsciousness 
• Ill-health  
• Sickness due to exposure to a dangerous substance, fumes or gases, fire or explosion  
• Sickness due to a chemical spill or environmental pollution 
• Damage to building 
• Damage to property

When the worker suffers damage caused by his or her recklessness or failure to comply with industrial safety measures, it is considered a non-work accident. In this case, the company is free to take the actions it deems appropriate since it has no responsibility towards the worker.

What is a near miss?

A Near Miss is defined as an unplanned, uncontrolled incident in which there is no loss but the potential for injuries or damage. In the area of industrial safety, workplace near misses are situations with no consequences, but that have the potential to become accidents. 

For this reason, the application of accident prevention rules is so important. An unnoticed or unreported near miss can become a workplace accident with serious consequences for the worker and the company.

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What is a dangerous occurrence?

A Dangerous Occurrence is one of several specific, reportable adverse events, which are defined within the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Reporting of Accidents and Dangerous Occurrences) Regulation. Dangerous occurrence means a high potential to cause death or serious injury, but which happens relatively infrequently.  Dangerous occurrences usually include incidents involving: 

• Lifting equipment
• Pressure systems
• Overhead electric lines
• Electrical incidents causing explosion or fire
• Explosions, biological agents
• Radiation generators and radiography
• Collapse of scaffolding

Accident and incident

Although the dangerous occurrence is included in the OSHA definition of the incident (as a subtype of the incident ), a key difference between them is that the worst possible outcomes of an incident, which may or may not include injuries or property damage, are realized because it is not prevented or addressed in time.

For example, if the outcome of an unsafe event occurs entirely and is not avoided by luck or a last-minute decision, then the unsafe event is an incident, rather than a near miss, even if it also did not cause injury or damage.

An accident is an unsafe event that causes injury or property damage. Although OSHA's definition of an incident is essentially similar to that of an accident, other safety organizations consider incident and accident to be two distinct entities. A key difference between accidents and incidents (including near misses) is that accidents are more complex. 

Why is it important to identify the causation of an accident or incident?

Having clear definitions of accident, incident, dangerous occurrence and near miss can be a critical first step in improving safety records because each category helps determine how quickly a response is necessary. An incident with injury should trigger a timely investigation. Incidents without injury (near misses) must be taken into account in the priorities of a periodic analysis of occupational risks.

The goal of each process is to identify the cause of the incident and determine whether it requires new or modified safety protocols, but the urgency is different.

Sometimes changing a safety protocol is not the problem, sometimes it is getting workers to comply with it, so you should always investigate why workers are not following a protocol and find a way to address it. 

What are your rights after an incident in the workplace?

As an employee, you always have the right to a hazard-free workplace, which means that incidents both near misses and accidents are cause for concern. Incidents often have the potential to injure workers or can even be a “near miss” in which someone almost suffers serious harm.

Therefore, if you witness an incident in the workplace, you have every right to inform your management, so that they can investigate what happened and take steps to ensure that the same problem does not arise again.

Conclusion

Remember, the difference between accident and incident is that every accident is an incident, but not every incident is an accident. By understanding the differences between these three types of incidents, organizations can prioritize their response and take appropriate action to prevent future accidents. Near misses are often specific events, while dangerous occurrences can be broader situations or conditions.

Incidents are unplanned events but the types of incidents differ in the severity of their consequences. Here's a table summarizing the key differences and likelihood of causing harm:

Types of Incident Difference between accident and incident
	Accident	Dangerous occurrence	Near miss
Result	Personal injury, property damage, or both	Could be death or serious injury	Lower than dangerous occurrence
Severity: More serious	Severity: More serious	High	Low
Example: A car crash resulting in injuries	Example: A car crash resulting in injuries	Failure of load-bearing parts in lifting equipment	A slip on the stairs without falling
Action: Requires investigation and reporting to authorities	Action: Requires investigation and reporting to authorities	Requires immediate investigation and reporting under regulations (e.g., RIDDOR)	May require reporting internally, depending on the context
Focus: Preventing future accidents	Focus: Preventing future accidents, Immediate investigation and reporting	Determining the root cause and taking immediate action to prevent future occurrences	Learning from the incident to prevent future accidents and near misses,
Frequency	Frequent	Relatively Infrequent	More common than