Health and safety at work

Employers, and other people in charge of work premises, have a legal duty to report and keep records of:

• work-related accidents which cause deaths
• work-related accidents which cause certain serious injuries (reportable injuries)
• diagnosed cases of certain industrial diseases
• certain ‘dangerous occurrences’ (incidents with the potential to cause harm)

This is governed by the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR) – Health and Safety Executive.

What is classed as an accident

An accident could be anything that causes injury. This is whether it happened at work or came about as a result of a work activity.

Accidents themselves do not have to be reported but the injuries which result from an accident do. So, if there is an accident in which no one suffers any injury, there is no need to report it.

Incidents that need reporting include:

• injuries which cause the death of any person (your employee, another company's employee or a member of the public) 
• a major injury to your employee or a self employed person, including as a result of physical violence
• where a member of the public is taken to hospital
• injuries which result in your employee being off work, or unable to do their usual job for more than 7 days

Report a health and safety incident – Health and Safety Executive

Accident investigation

When appropriate we will simply give advice to the employer to stop an incident happening again. If we identify a definite breach as the main reason for an accident, we will take formal action.

Our accident report may be used in court if someone who has been injured as a result of a work-related accident pursues a compensation claim.

Keeping an accident book

All businesses must keep a record of reported accidents. You must comply with the privacy requirements of the Data Protection Act. 

Order an HSE accident book – Health and Safety Executive