Making the Invisible Visible: Reporting & Investigating Psychological Incidents
Do your workers report all incidents – including those that may involve psychological impacts? And when incidents are reported, are they being investigated appropriately?
In 2024, updates were made to sections 3-25 and 3-26 of the Saskatchewan Occupational Health and Safety Regulations to strengthen requirements around harassment and violence policies. These changes expanded employer duties to ensure that all incidents, not only those causing physical harm, are reported and investigated. It’s important not to overlook psychological aspects of workplace incidents, as they can be just as significant as physical ones.
To help our members meet this requirement, we’ve updated our Incident Reporting Form Template, Incident Investigation Form Template, and Incident Investigation Policy Template – found on the Resources page of our website.
What is a Psychological Incident?
A psychological incident is a distressing or unexpected event that results in or has the potential to result in psychological harm to a person. They can look different from physical ones but are just as real and harmful. These can include:
- Harassment
- Bullying
- Threats
- Violence
- Repeated exposure to distressing or traumatic events
Even if someone does not feel immediately affected, these events should still be reported as psychological near misses because repeated exposure can cause cumulative trauma, which may eventually result in a diagnosable psychological injury, such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or anxiety disorders.
Why Reporting Psychological Incidents Matters:
Psychological injuries often develop over time through repeated exposure, and unreported incidents are harder to address and can quietly build into a serious psychological hazard. That’s why reporting matters, even if the impact of an event isn’t immediate. Documenting every incident, including psychological incidents and near misses, allows your workplace to respond early and effectively.
Timely reporting is essential because:
- Early reporting helps identify patterns before they escalate into serious harm.
- Captures near misses that can evolve into psychological injuries over time.
- This approach enables preventative actions such as training, employee support, or modified duties.
- Provides evidence to support investigations and tracking incident trends.
- Supports WCB claims by establishing a documented history of workplace exposure.
By reporting psychological incidents, workers help create a safer, more responsive workplace that treats psychological health with the same seriousness as physical health.
What Should Employers Do?
“We tell our workers to complete incident reports – yet many still don’t! What can we do?”
This is a common concern among managers and supervisors across both the Community Service and Hospitality industries. While it’s not always easy to pinpoint why workers may be reluctant to report, a few proven strategies can help improve reporting culture and overcome that resistance.
Incident Reporting Tips:
- Encourage reporting of all incidents – especially psychological and near misses.
- Ensure workers receive Incident Report training on what to report, how, and when.
- Make incident reporting a condition of employment. Document and enforce it consistently.
- Use forms that are clear, accessible, and easily understood by all staff
Incident Investigations Tips:
- Investigate all incidents whenever possible – some are legally required
- Include in your investigation team:
- The injured worker (if possible)
- Their supervisor, manager or a member of senior management
- A trained member of the Occupational Health Committee (OHC)
- Ensure team members are formally trained in Workplace Investigation techniques
- Strive to investigate all incidents within 24 hours
- Share findings and any corrective actions with all staff.
What’s Changed on the Forms?
New features include a psychological category added to the “Type of Incident” and “Hazard Classification” dropdown menus to align with the 2024 OHS amendments, recognizing psychological hazards.
The updated forms are now available on our Resources Page:
By using clear and accessible reporting tools – supported by our formal Incident Reporting & Investigations Training program – we’re making it easier than ever for our members to recognize, report, and investigate all types of workplace incidents.
Visit the Resources page today to download the updated templates and implement these best practices in your workplace!
For assistance, or if you have questions or comments, please Get in Touch with Service Hospitality.
