Accident Reporting

What is an accident?

Simply put an Army accident is; an unplanned event that causes personnel injury or illness, or property damage.

Is it an Army Accident? (PDF)

Why do we investigate and report accidents?

• Identify accident cause factors and system deficiencies
• Assess manpower and monetary losses due to accidents
• Collect accident data to develop accident prevention measures
• Prevention only (not to be used for litigation, claims, disciplinary action, or adverse administrative actions)

Regulatory compliance

• OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ACT (OSHA)
• EXECUTIVE ORDER 12196
• 29 CFR 1960, FEDERAL OSHA PROGRAM
• DOD INSTRUCTION 6055.7
• AR 385-10 (PDF)
• DA PAM 385-10 (PDF)

Accident reporting and investigating is performed per the requirements of AR 385-10 (PDF) and DA Pam 385-10 (PDF). The commander or supervisor directly responsible for the operation, material, or person's involved in an accident will ensure that:

1. All accidents and near misses are investigated to obtain the facts and circumstances.
2. The appropriate report is prepared on each accident per instructions in Fort Knox Regulation 385-10 (PDF).  DA Form 285 (U.S. Army Accident Investigation Report) (DA Form 285 A | DA Form 285 B), DA Form 285-AB-R (U.S. Army Abbreviated Ground Accident Report (AGAR) and AR 385-40. These reports may include DA Form 285, DA Form 285-AB-R, and Civilian Incident Report (FK Form 5070-E). DA Form 285, DA Form 285-AB-R or Civilian Incident Report (FK Form 5070-E) will be forwarded to the Garrison Safety Office - Fort Knox (IMSE-KNX-SO) not later than 7 working days following the date of the accident.
3. The following are minimum requirements for reporting military on-duty injuries:
   1. DA Form 285 will be used only for reporting Class A and B on-duty ground accidents. DA Form 285-AB-R will be used to report all off-duty accidents, and all class C and D on-duty accidents.
      Accident and incident classes
      • Class A accident —an Army accident in which the resulting total cost of property damage is $1,000,000 or more; an Army aircraft or missile is destroyed, missing, or abandoned; or an injury and/or occupational illness results in a fatality or permanent total disability.
      • Class B accident —an Army accident in which the resulting total cost of property damage is $200,000 or more, but less than $1,000,000; an injury and/or occupational illness results in permanent partial disability, or when three or more personnel are hospitalized as inpatients as the result of a single occurrence.
      • Class C accident —an Army accident in which the resulting total cost of property damage is $20,000 or more, but less than $200,000; a nonfatal injury that causes any loss of time from work beyond the day or shift on which it occurred; or a nonfatal occupational illness that causes loss of time from work (for example, 1 work day) or disability at any time (lost time case).
      • Class D accident —an Army accident in which the resulting total cost of property damage is $2,000 or more but less than $20,000.
      • Class E aviation incident —an Army incident in which the resulting damage cost and injury severity do not meet the criteria for a Class A-D accident ($2,000 or more damage; lost time/restricted activity case). A Class E aviation incident is recordable when the mission (either operational or maintenance) is interrupted or not completed. Intent for flight may or may not exist. An example of a recordable Class E incident is: during maintenance operational check (MOC) the engine quits. Examples of non-recordable Class E incidents are: chip detector light illumination and the component is not replaced mission interrupted/aborted because of weather, unless mission is canceled; failure of Fair Wear and Tear (FWT) items found on pre- or post-flight inspection; radio failure where radio is replaced closing a door found open in flight.
      • Foreign Object Damage (FOD) aviation incident (Also known as Class F incident). Recordable incidents confined to aircraft turbine engine damage (does not include installed aircraft Auxiliary Power Units (APU)) as a result of internal or external FOD, where that is the only damage. These incidents will be reported using DA Form 2397–AB–R Check “F” in the “Accident Classification” block.
   2. For an occupational illness that results in lost time from work beyond the day or shift on which it occurred, the unit to which the Soldier is assigned will submit a completed DA Form 285-AB-R to the Garrison Safety Office - Fort Knox.
4. Reporting of military off-duty injuries. When the injury results in 1 or more lost workdays, the unit will submit a DA Form 285-AB-R.
5. For each (on-duty) fatality, a fully completed typed DA Form 285 will be sent through command channels to the Garrison Safety Office - Fort Knox. The brigade/regimental commander or Director will sign in block 68b. For each (off-duty) fatality, a fully completed typed DA Form 285-AB-R will be sent through command channels to the Garrison Safety Office - Fort Knox. These will be signed by the brigade/regimental commander in block 42b.
6. The following criteria is used in determining duty status. This criterion is for accident reporting purpose only and is not related to compensation or line-of-duty determination.
   1. On-Duty Status. This applies to Army personnel who are:
      1. Physically present at any location where they are to perform their officially assigned work (includes those activities incident to normal work activities that occur on Army installations, e.g. lunch or coffee break).
      2. Being transported by Government, privately-owned or commercial conveyance for the purpose of performing officially assigned work (includes reimbursable travel in private motor vehicles for temporary duty, but not routine travel to and from work).
      3. Participation in compulsory sports or physical training activities.
   2. Off-Duty Status. This applies to Army personnel who are not in an on-duty status, whether on or off Army installations.
7. Civilian Injuries. All civilian injuries are reported using FK Form 5070-E. Civilian injuries have two classifications; reportable and recordable. All injuries or illnesses are reportable. You must consider an injury or illness to meet the general recording criteria, and therefore to be recordable, if it results in any of the following: death, days away from work, restricted work or transfer to another job, medical treatment beyond first aid, or loss of consciousness. You must also consider a case to meet the general recording criteria if it involves a significant injury or illness diagnosed by a physician or other licensed health care professional, even if it does not result in death, days away from work, restricted work or job transfer, medical treatment beyond first aid, or loss of consciousness.
8. Property or Vehicle Damage Accidents.  The owning unit will submit a fully completed DA Form 285-AB-R through channels to the Garrison Safety Office - Fort Knox for accidents resulting in $2,000 or more property damage.

Non-reportable Occupational Illnesses and Injuries

1. Non-occupational diseases. Injuries associated with non-occupational diseases where the disease itself, not the injury, is the cause of the lost time (for example, a minor cut suffered by a hemophiliac which results in time away from work).
2. Self-inflicted injuries. Suicides, suicide attempts, or voluntary self-inflicted injuries (for example, Russian roulette).
3. Criminal assault. Injuries that result from criminal activity where the intent was to inflict injury. These include cases of assault, rape, murder, offenses under Article ll8 UCMJ (but not negligent homicide), voluntary manslaughter, and attempts to commit any of these offenses.
4. Prior-Service injuries. Injuries sustained before entry into service or employment unless they are specifically aggravated by current tenure of service.
5. Strains when they result from pre-existing musculoskeletal disorders or minimal stress or strain (for example, simple, natural, nonviolent body positions or actions, such as coughing or sneezing).
6. Hospitalization of a person solely for observation/administration purpose and subsequent release.
7. Adverse bodily reactions resulting directly from the use of alcohol or other drugs not administered by or under the direction of a competent medical authority are not reportable.

Additional information on completing a DA Form 285 AB-R. (PDF)