Reporting a Minor Incident (e.g., small accident)
Witnessing or being involved in a very minor incident, like a tripped and fallen person with no serious injury, and needing to report it or ask if help is needed.
Dialogue
Listen and follow along with the conversation
Vocabulary
Essential words and phrases from the dialogue
trip
To trip means to catch your foot on something and almost fall, often leading to a stumble. Use it in safety contexts like 'I tripped on the step' to describe minor accidents.
fall
To fall is to drop suddenly to the ground, often by accident. It's common in emergency reports, e.g., 'She fell down the stairs,' to describe incidents.
shaken
Shaken means feeling upset or surprised after a shock, but not physically injured. Use it like 'He was a bit shaken after the fall' to show emotional impact in minor incidents.
reported
Reported means to tell someone in authority about an event. In safety situations, say 'I reported the accident' to show responsibility and follow procedures.
uneven
Uneven describes a surface that is not flat or smooth, which can cause slips. Useful in warnings like 'Watch out for the uneven sidewalk' to prevent accidents.
mat
A mat is a small rug or piece of material on the floor, often at entrances. Mention it in reports like 'The mat was causing the problem' for hazard descriptions.
Key Sentences
Important phrases to remember and practice
Excuse me, David? I just saw someone trip and fall near the main entrance.
This polite way to start a conversation uses 'Excuse me' to get attention and reports an incident immediately. Useful for interrupting politely in emergencies; the past tense 'saw' describes what happened recently.
Oh, really? Are they okay? Did they seem hurt?
This shows concern with questions using 'okay' for general well-being and 'hurt' for injury. Practice for responding to reports; 'seem' expresses observation without certainty, common in safety checks.
They got up pretty quickly, and they said they were fine, just a bit shaken.
This describes the outcome using past tense actions like 'got up' and reported speech 'they said.' Useful to update on minor incidents; 'pretty quickly' adds detail on speed, and 'just a bit' softens the impact.
But I wanted to make sure it was reported.
This expresses caution with 'make sure' followed by passive 'was reported.' Ideal for emphasizing responsibility in safety protocols; use it when following up on potential hazards.
Was there anything on the ground, like a wet spot or something uneven?
This asks for details using examples with 'like' and vague 'something.' Helpful in investigations; the question form encourages more information, key for identifying causes in reports.
I'll make a note of it and check the mat to ensure it's flat.
This promises action with future 'I'll' and 'to ensure' for purpose. Practical for confirming follow-up; 'make a note' means recording, useful in professional safety responses.