This resource has been designed to provide you with the essential tools for effectively managing incidents within your Council. Included here are the BSA incident reporting expectations, a concise overview of additional reporting requirements, and detailed responses to frequently asked questions regarding general incident reporting or our dedicated incident reporting system, Riskonnect.
Units are instructed to promptly report all incidents to their respective Councils. As a Council, part of your responsibility is to report these incidents into Riskonnect. Nevertheless, it’s essential to recognize that reporting to Riskonnect is just a component of the overall record-keeping process. Councils are also required to maintain internal records of said incidents.
The following additional resources to support unit level incident reporting are available here.
- Navigating Incidents: Guide for Units
- Incident Reporting: Gathering Information
- Resource: Incident Reporting Tools
All incidents within the Council must be reported promptly according to updated BSA Incident Reporting Expectations. No incident is considered reported too late. Scout Executives are tasked with reporting all incidents into Riskonnect, assigning licenses within their Council, and ensuring thorough follow-up on reported incidents, including those submitted through the public portal. Further details on the updated Incident Reporting Requirements can be found in the provided resource.
Crisis Communications Support for Boy Scouts of America
While a crisis may arise in a specific location, its repercussions can resonate across your council and the entire organization. That’s why swift action is crucial. When you become aware of a situation – even before the media gets involved – it’s essential to engage the BSA’s Crisis Communications support team immediately. You can reach support at PR@scouting.org. The PR team will respond promptly, equipping you with the necessary communication tools.
Additional Council Reporting Expectations
Incidents can occur during Scouting activities that require careful handling and reporting to ensure the safety and well-being of all participants. Local Councils also have a responsibility to comply with various reporting requirements on a county, state, federal level.
The following additional reporting requirements should be submitted alongside the BSA’s incident report into Riskonnect.
All employers are required to notify OSHA when an employee is killed on the job or suffers a work-related hospitalization, amputation, or the loss of an eye. An in-patient hospitalization, amputation, or eye loss must be reported within 24 hours.
*All fatalities must be reported within eight hours.
To Make a Report:
- Call the nearest OSHA office.
- Call the OSHA 24-hour hotline at 1-800-321-6742 (OSHA).
- Be prepared to supply the following: the business name; names of employees affected; the location and time of the incident, a brief description of the incident; and the name and phone number of the contact person.
US Coast Guard Required Reporting
Federal law requires the operator or owner of a recreational vessel to file a boating accident report with the State reporting authority if the recreational vessel is involved in an accident that results in any of the following:
- A person dies.
- A person is injured and requires medical treatment beyond “Scout rendered first aid.”
- A person disappears from the vessel under circumstances that indicate death or injury.
- Damage to vessels and other property totals $2,000 (lower amounts in some states and territories).
- The boat is destroyed.
This requirement is the same regardless of vessel makeup: sail, canoe, paddleboard, kayak, and powerboat.
