The incident log on site is the official document for the control and monitoring of health and safety during execution, in which the breaches and warnings detected on the ground are recorded.
Keeping this log looks like a simple administrative formality that sits in the site cabin, but in practice it is the documentary evidence that determines liability when an accident occurs. Not keeping it updated, not holding it correctly, or failing to forward serious entries to the labour authority on time can lead to high penalties and aggravate the liability of the project management team and the contractor under Royal Decree 1627/1997.
In this guide you will see exactly what the incident log is, who can write and sign in it, what must be recorded, and how to act on an entry for serious risk. To place this document within the wider set of site records, first read the guide on mandatory documentation on a construction site.
What exactly the incident log is
The incident log is an official document —usually provided by the professional association of the competent technician, or by the Project Supervision Office on public works— in which breaches, warnings, and relevant observations on occupational health and safety are recorded during the execution of the works.
Its existence and upkeep are expressly regulated by Royal Decree 1627/1997, which establishes the minimum health and safety provisions on construction sites. Every site that has a safety study or basic study must have an incident log, which remains at the workplace and is permanently available to those with access to it.
There must be one log per workplace, and its pages are duplicated, so each entry leaves a record both for the site and for its transmission to the required recipients.
Who is involved in managing it
- Custody: the log remains on site under the responsibility and control of the health and safety coordinator during execution. Where appointing a coordinator is not mandatory, custody falls to the project management team.
- Access and entries: the following have the right to make entries and consult the log:
- The health and safety coordinator during the execution of the works.
- The members of the project management team.
- The contractors, subcontractors, and self-employed workers.
- The technicians of the public administrations' specialised health and safety bodies.
- The workers' representatives and those with preventive responsibilities in the companies involved.
What is recorded in the incident log
The log does not contain the daily site report, nor does it replace other quality or production records. Its content is limited to health and safety:
- Breaches of the safety measures set out in the health and safety plan on site.
- Warnings and observations about risks detected on the ground.
- Situations of serious, imminent risk that require immediate action.
- Orders and instructions from the project management team or the coordinator to remedy deficiencies.
Each entry must be specific, dated, and signed, so it is on record who detected the deficiency, when, and what corrective measure is required.
Process for acting on a serious entry
When the safety coordinator or the project management team make an entry for a detected serious, imminent risk, a regulated procedure is triggered:
- Formal notification: the affected contractor and its workers' representatives must be notified immediately.
- Transmission to the labour authority: a copy of the entry is sent to the provincial Labour and Social Security Inspectorate within a maximum of 24 hours.
- Precautionary stoppage: if the risk justifies it, the coordinator or the project management team can order the affected work areas —or the entire site— to be halted until the recorded deficiencies are remedied, leaving a record of the decision.
This mechanism turns the incident log into a tool with real legal effect, not a mere internal record. To understand how it fits into the penalty framework, review the construction site safety regulations.
From the paper log to the digital record
The traditional paper model has weak points: it gets misplaced, wet, left without custody when the technician changes, or becomes illegible at the moment of an inspection. Digitising incident tracking does not remove the official log, but it does ensure that each entry is backed by photographic evidence, date, time, and responsible party, and that it is locatable instantly.
Relying on digital documentary management of the site keeps the traceability of corrective measures and lets you demonstrate due diligence in the face of any request.
How Trowel helps
| Problem | How Trowel solves it |
|---|---|
| Safety entries scattered or without evidence to back them | A mobile module to record incidents with digital work reports, a signed photo, date, and responsible party in an instant |
| Loss of traceability of the required corrective measures | Tracking the status of each incident (open, in progress, remedied) until its verified closure |
| Difficulty locating safety documentation during an inspection | Centralised documentary management accessible from site and office |
| Lack of control over subcontractors without training or documentation in order | Alerts on the expiry of preventive training, medical checks, and records before site access |
You can see the technical detail of each module in Trowel Academy.
Frequently asked questions
Is the incident log mandatory on every site?
It is mandatory on every site that has a safety study or basic study, under Royal Decree 1627/1997. There must be one log per workplace.
Who keeps the incident log?
It is kept by the health and safety coordinator during execution. If appointing a coordinator is not mandatory, the responsibility falls to the project management team.
What is the deadline for reporting a serious entry to the Labour Inspectorate?
A copy of an entry for serious risk must be sent to the Labour and Social Security Inspectorate within a maximum of 24 hours.
Does the digital incident log replace the paper one?
The official log is still the one provided by the competent body. Digital tools complement its tracking by adding evidence, traceability, and immediate location of each incident.
Conclusion
The incident log is far more than an administrative formality: it is the site's official safety diary and the evidence that proves the diligence of the project management team and the contractor in the face of any inspection or accident.
Keeping it updated, held, and available avoids penalties and, above all, helps prevent accidents by recording the required corrective measures. If you want to digitise the recording and tracking of incidents on your sites, request a free Trowel demo.
You may also be interested in
- Health and safety coordinator on site: duties →
- Health and safety plan on site: step-by-step guide →
- Mandatory documentation on a construction site →
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