Robot Incident Response Checklist

Immediate operational, legal, and reporting steps following a collision, physical injury, property damage event, or security breach involving an automated physical system.

Who this is for

Fleet operations teams, incident response managers, field supervisors, and risk management counsel.

Instructions

Work the sections in order. Record the time each step is completed. Deadlines are calendar-based unless noted.

Immediate response (0 to 1 hour)

Physical containment and emergency response

Remote emergency stop activated
Physical perimeter secured
Medical aid response initiated
Safe power shutdown completed

Time completed:

Law enforcement and first responder coordination

Local law enforcement and emergency personnel contacted
First responder interaction protocol executed under 37 TAC § 39.1 (automated motor vehicles)

Data preservation and evidence hold

Litigation hold issued
Event data recorder (EDR) secured pursuant to Texas Transportation Code § 545.455(b)(2)
LiDAR perception streams preserved
Optical camera footage preserved
Telemetry logs preserved
Remote operator command channels preserved
Maintenance records preserved

Notifications (1 to 24 hours)

Insurer and vendor notification

Commercial liability, auto, aviation, or cyber underwriters notified within policy timelines
Hardware OEM or software developer notified pursuant to lease or Robot-as-a-Service (RaaS) terms

Workplace fatalities and hospitalizations (OSHA)

Fatality reported to OSHA within 8 hours under 29 C.F.R. § 1904.39 (if applicable)
Hospitalization, amputation, or eye loss reported to OSHA within 24 hours under 29 C.F.R. § 1904.39 (if applicable)

Regulator filings and deadlines

Regulator	Trigger	Deadline	Citation
DPS and local law enforcement	Automated motor vehicle collision	Per statutory notice requirements	Texas Transportation Code § 545.457
NHTSA	Crash involving a Level 3 through Level 5 ADS vehicle, for manufacturers and operators named in the order, when the order's criteria are met (hospital-treated injury, fatality, vehicle tow-away, air bag deployment, or vulnerable road user strike)	5 calendar days	Standing General Order 2021-01
NHTSA	Crash involving a Level 2 ADAS vehicle, for manufacturers and operators named in the order, when the order's criteria are met (hospital-treated injury, fatality, air bag deployment, or vulnerable road user strike; tow-away alone is not a Level 2 criterion)	5 calendar days	Standing General Order 2021-01
NHTSA	Monthly summary of all ADS crashes, including those not meeting the 5-day criteria	Monthly	Standing General Order 2021-01
OSHA	Work-related fatality	8 hours	29 C.F.R. § 1904.39
OSHA	Work-related hospitalization, amputation, or eye loss	24 hours	29 C.F.R. § 1904.39
FAA	UAS accident involving serious injury to any person, loss of consciousness, or damage to property other than the small unmanned aircraft itself exceeding $500	10 calendar days	14 C.F.R. § 107.9
FDA	Medical device malfunction (surgical or healthcare robotics)	Per Medical Device Reporting timelines	21 C.F.R. Part 803
CPSC	Consumer product defect or hazard (Section 15(b))	Per statutory reporting duties	15 U.S.C. § 2064

Root cause investigation and return to service

Post-incident technical analysis completed
Software update validated (if applicable)
Safety clearance documented before return to fleet operations

Incident number:

Reviewer name and title:

Date: