Appendix A - Incident Reporting and Investigation: Definitions

Critical Injury

A critical injury as defined by Ontario Regulation 834 under the OHSA is:

“an injury of a serious nature that,

places life in jeopardy;
produces unconsciousness;
results in substantial loss of blood;
involves the fracture of a leg or arm but not a finger or toe;
involves the amputation of a leg, arm, hand or foot but not a finger or toe;
consists of burns to a major portion of the body; or
causes the loss of sight in an eye.”

First Aid Injury

The one-time treatment or care and any follow-up visit(s) for observation purposes only. First aid includes, but is not limited to: cleaning minor cuts, treating a minor burn, applying bandages and/or dressings, applying a cold pack, applying a splint.

An incident resulting in an injury that does not classify as a Health Care Injury or Lost Time Injury should be classified as a First Aid Injury.

Health Care Injury

Work-related injury requiring the professional services of a health care practitioner (e.g. doctor, chiropractor, physiotherapist) with no time lost from work beyond the day of injury.

Lost Time Injury

Work-related injury causing a loss of time from work beyond the day of the injury; must be treated by a health care practitioner (e.g. doctor, chiropractor, physiotherapist).

Near Miss Incident

An occurrence that does not result in injury/illness or property damage but which, under slightly different circumstances, could have resulted in harm to people, damage to property or loss to process. First aid includes, but is not limited to: cleaning minor cuts, treating a minor burn, applying bandages and/or dressings, applying a cold pack, applying a splint.

An incident resulting in an injury that does not classify as a Health Care Injury or Lost Time Injury should be classified as a First Aid Injury

Occupational Illness

Is defined under the OHSA, as: “a condition that results from exposure in a workplace to a physical, chemical or biological agent to the extent that the normal physiological mechanisms are affected and the health of the worker is impaired thereby and includes an occupational disease for which a worker is entitled to benefits under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997.”

Nature of Injury or Illness

A brief description of the type of injury or occupational illness sustained. Examples: cut, burn, contusion, sprain, fracture. Specify body part and which side of the body, left or right, has been injured.