If your facility has a standard FOD report form, keep a blank copy on hand. If not, write up a short and simple report listing the date, time, what the FOD looks like, and where it was found.
In some cases, you may be required to preserve or photograph FOD for further analysis by safety investigators. For instance, identifying a specific piece of hardware might lead them to the machine where it fell off, allowing them to conduct a maintenance inspection.
In most facilities, reporting FOD will not reflect negatively on you as an employee, so long as you make an effort to improve your work habits. Taking a “lessons learned” approach when things go wrong earns you the respect of your colleagues and helps everybody to do their job more safely and efficiently.
