If records are inadvertently destroyed, the appropriate course of action is to immediately contact a supervisor or the responsible records management personnel within the organization. This could include a records officer or the head of the department involved. For federal records, the incident should also be reported to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), which oversees the handling of unauthorized or accidental records destruction cases. The records officer will typically notify NARA and initiate an investigation and recovery efforts, if possible.

In summary:

• Contact your immediate supervisor or department head.
• Notify the organization's records officer or records management unit.
• For federal records, the responsible records officer should report the incident to NARA promptly.

This ensures that proper procedures are followed for preserving accountability and potentially recovering lost records.