STUDENT ACCIDENTS | Administrative Procedures

5340 - STUDENT ACCIDENTS

After prompt and appropriate medical attention is provided to any student injured on campus, adequate and prompt accident reporting is essential if similar accidents are to be prevented from reoccurring as well as to provide parents or guardians with a written account of the accident. Generally speaking, student medical bills or injury claims are not the responsibility of the District, but prompt injury reporting is vital in assuring District staff, students, and others that the District has the ability to pay for medical care when injuries are caused by or are due to errors on the part of the District.

The Board requires therefore that an accident report be filed on every accident that takes place on school property, involves a school vehicle, or involves students or staff on school-sponsored trips. Such reports are required whether or not there are any immediately evident injuries.

At a minimum, the following conditions require the submission of a Risk Management Accident/Incident Report form.

The injury requires the student to leave school or the activity for medical treatment.
The injury is treated by a school nurse or by an athletic trainer.
An ambulance is called, even if the student is not actually transported.
The parent is notified that the student was injured at school.
A parent notifies the school that they have taken their child to a doctor because of an injury received at school.
The injury involves weather conditions.
The injury may have been partially or wholly caused by a physical condition of the facility. (Please forward a copy of the maintenance request to inspect or repair work order with the Risk Management Accident/Incident Report form.)
The injury occurs on a school bus during routine transportation activities.
The injury involves the head, neck, or spine.
The parent expresses concern over the way their injured student was handled by the school.
Any student that reports an injury after being involved in an altercation on campus.
Any competitive, intramural, or physical education sports related injury needing first aid or other medical attention during or after any practice, game, or activity.
Any student exposed to another person's bodily fluids of any type.

The above listing is a summary of incidents that must be reported. The above list is not all inclusive as there may be other types of accidents that can and should be reported. A good rule of thumb for administration; if you wonder if you should have an incident report completed then you should do so.

Reporting Student Accidents

Report all student accidents by completing a Risk Management Accident/Incident Report form and sending it to Risk Management by District courier or facsimile (if by facsimile, the original should follow in the courier thereafter). The forms are available in the school office or may be downloaded from the Office of Risk Management's website or ordered from the District's print shop in packs of fifty (50) (Stock Form #1209: 2007-08 price per pack $1.50).

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I report a student accident or injury?

When a student is injured at school, on a school bus, during extra-curricular activities, or during a school-sponsored activity or trip; the student should complete a Risk Management Accident/Incident Report form. The form should be completed at the time of the injury or as soon as practical. Once the form is completed it should be sent to the Office of Risk Management by District courier or facsimile within three (3) working days (if by facsimile, the original should follow in the courier thereafter). The school is not to keep copies of the completed accident report form on file at the school.

Who should complete the Risk Management Accident/Incident Report form?

The injured student should complete the form as they have the most firsthand knowledge of the incident. If the student is unable to complete the form due to their age, inability to write due to their current writing skills, or the injury is preventing them from doing so, the teacher, coach, school nurse, or other adult assisting in supervision should complete the form by asking the student the questions listed on the form and writing the student's exact answer. The student (or adult) may also write additional comments on the back of the form should they run out of space on the front printed sections of the form.

What part of the form does the student complete?

The student should complete section 7 (a-c) in its entirety and sign their name under section 8 (remember if the student is unable to write, an adult should ask the student these questions and then write the student's answer word for word). The student or school personnel may complete sections 1, 2, 4, and 6.

What do I do to report an accident if the student refuses to complete the accident form?

If the student refuses to complete the form, write this information on a blank Risk Management Accident/Incident Report form. On a separate sheet of paper have the employee with the most knowledge about the incident write their account of the accident. This separate sheet of paper should then be attached to the accident report form and sent to the Office of Risk Management. Student witness statements may also be obtained and attached to the accident form. All employee or witness statements may be provided to those that wrote them, but this information is not to be shared with anyone else.

What do I do to report an accident if the student is not able to complete the accident form because they are in the hospital or incapacitated?

If the student will be back in school within a day or two (2), wait for them to return and complete the form. If the student will not be back in school for three (3) or more days indicate this on a blank accident form and on a separate sheet of paper ask the employee with the most knowledge about the incident to write their account of the accident. This separate sheet of paper should be attached to the accident report form and sent to the Office of Risk Management. Student witness statements may also be obtained and attached to the accident form. All employee or witness statements may be provided to those that wrote them, but this information is not to be shared with anyone else. When the student returns to school, they should complete the form at that time. This form should indicate that this is the student's account of the report previously submitted to Risk Management.

What do I do if a parent or guardian wants a copy of the completed accident report?

If the form was completed by the student, or in the student's exact words, make a photocopy of the form and give it to the parent or guardian. If the completed form has already been sent to the Office of Risk Management refer the parent to that office and they will provide it to the parent. All other requests for documents should be referred to the Office of Risk Management.

Should I as the school administrator obtain witness statements?

Witness statements are not required, but may be very beneficial in identifying the cause of the accident and allow the school to look for ways to avoid similar accidents from occurring in the future. When obtaining a witness statement, make sure the witness writes their statement on a separate sheet of paper. Once completed, attach the statement to the completed Risk Management Accident/Incident Report and forwarded to the Office of Risk Management. Copies of these documents are not to be filed at the school or provided to anyone except the person that provided the statement.

Where do I get a Risk Management Accident/Incident Report form?

Risk Management Accident/Incident Report forms may be downloaded from the Office of Risk Management's web page. They are also available in your school office or may be ordered from the District's print shop in packs of fifty (50) (Stock Form #1209).

Where do I send the completed Risk Management Accident/Incident Report form?

Send the completed Risk Management Accident/Incident Report form to the Office of Risk Management by District courier or facsimile (if by facsimile, the original should follow in the courier thereafter).

How long will the Risk Management Accident/Incident Report form be on file in the Office of Risk Management?

The accident/incident report form will be held on file in the Office of Risk Management for a minimum of four (4) years.

What do I do if the injury was caused by a physical condition of the facility?

The area should be cordoned off to anyone that may walk in or around the area in question in order to minimize the possibility of similar injuries occurring to other students or staff. The incident should be well documented including a description of the physical condition and, if possible, photographs should be taken that show the physical condition in question. School personnel should have their custodial staff repair or fix the condition immediately. If school staff is unable to fix the condition, then school staff should complete a maintenance work order request to inspect or repair the facility condition and send it to the maintenance department. The physical condition description, photographs, and a copy of the work order request (if submitted to the maintenance department) should then be attached to the Risk Management Accident/Incident Report completed by the student. The accident report and all other attached documents should then be sent to the Office of Risk Management.

There is an incident reporting form for the Office of District and School Security and for the Office of Risk Management, how do we know which form to use and when?

The information listed in this administrative procedure applies to students that report an accident or injury regardless as to its severity. If a student reports an accident or injury the Risk Management Accident/Incident Report is to be completed by the student. The Office of District and School Security's form found in the schools critical incident response manual is a summary of a critical or traumatic event from the administrator's point of view including what actions were taken by the administrator during the event. School administrators should follow the guidelines as outlined in the critical incident response manual and complete that form accordingly. Once staff completes the Office of District and School Security form, it should be sent to that office as outlined in the critical incident response manual. The school should also make an additional copy of the Office of District and School Security form if a student, employee, or visitor to campus was injured in the incident and send it to the Office of Risk Management for their records.

Can you give me an example of how the Office of District and School Security and the Office of Risk Management forms are to be used?

If a school were to have a (6) Medical Situation-Incident-Food Bourne Illness/Drinking Water Contamination as outlined in the critical incident response manual. The school should follow all actions as outlined in the critical incident response manual and document the incident on the Office of District and School Security reporting form. Once the administrator completes that form, it should be sent to the Office of District and School Security. At the same time or during the same incident, if any of the students that drank the contaminated water or food are ill or are concerned about an illness due to ingestion; that student should complete the Office of Risk Management Accident/Incident Report form. Once the student completes the Office of Risk Management Accident/Incident Report form, the school should attach a copy of the Office of District and School Security's form to the student's completed report form and send both forms to the Office of Risk Management.