Accidents and Incidents

Report all work-related injuries and illnesses or near miss incidents to your supervisor as soon as possible.

Anyone may now enter an accident report, not just the supervisor.

The report should be submitted to Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) within 24 hours

  • Electronic Form - Online Accident Reporting System (OARS):
    The OARS System uses Pop-Up windows. Please be sure Pop-Ups are NOT BLOCKED:
    • Enable ALL Pop-Ups (disable your Pop-Up blocker) OR
    • Enable Pop-Ups for oars.ehs.washington.edu
    Enter the Online Accident Reporting System (OARS)

The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries requires employers to record work related injuries and illnesses. The University of Washington also finds that data and information contained in the records of incidents, injuries, and illnesses are essential to maintain an efficient and successful safety program. They supply the facts necessary to develop programs and procedures that can control both the conditions and acts that contribute to incidents.

Supervisors should make a detailed report about each incident, even if only a minor injury or no injury is the result. Minor injuries occur in greater numbers than serious injuries and records of these injuries can help to pinpoint problem areas.

OSHA 300A "Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses" Froms for the previous three years are available below for all employees to review. Each form provides a summary based on reportable workers' compensation claims and other reportable accident/incidents that may not have resulted in a workers' compensation claim.


If you experience a needlestick, cut, puncture, mucous membrane, or open wound exposure to human blood or other potentially infectious materials such as: body fluids, HIV/HBV/HBC containing cultures, HIV/HBV/HBC infected animals, human cell and/or tissue lines, you should follow your department’s BBP procedures, notify the appropriate designated staff, and immediately seek medical attention. University employees can obtain medical treatment and report exposures in confidence to the University Employee Health Centers. Medical treatment can also be obtained at UWMC or HMC Emergency Departments, or your personal healthcare provider.


A Note About Accessibility

EH&S strives to make this web site universally accessible. Suggestions for increasing the accessibility of these pages are welcome.

Send comments or suggestions about this site to injury@u.washington.edu


Employees who are injured at work or who believe that their illness is related to their job should file a Labor & Industries claim through their treating physician. An OARS report must be completed within 48 hours of an event or claim. Additional information is available at:


UW Policy and Procedure on Workplace Violence

University Campuses

University Medical Centers Employees Report to Public Safety Office


For motor vehicle accidents, please see Motor Pool - Collisions/Accidents

If an Employee is injured, report using Online Accident Reporting System (OARS)