Reporting Of Workplace Accidents

If you are an employer, self-employed or in control of work premises you are required under RIDDOR to report some types of work-related accidents, diseases and dangerous occurrences.

Reporting accidents and ill health at work is a legal requirement under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995. The information gathered helps the Local Authority and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to identify where and how risks arise and to prevent reoccurrence and prevent further pain and suffering to employees.

You must report all of the following:

• A death
• A major injury
• An over-three-day injury (this is when an employee or self-employed person has an accident at work and is unable to work for over three days, but does not have a major injury);
• A work-related disease
• A dangerous occurrence
• Where a member of the public is taken directly to hospital

 

How Soon Do I Have To Report The Incident?

All time limits for reporting accidents vary depending on the severity and the guide below should be followed.

• Where the accident has resulted in someone's death or a major injury we need to be notified immediately (see time limits for reporting).
• Over 3-day injuries need to be reported within 10 days.
• As soon as possible after the doctor diagnosis a work related disease.
• Dangerous occurrences need to be reported immediately (see time limits for reporting).

Written reports should be made using forms 2508 or 2508A.
 

How Do I Report an Accident?

There are three agencies that you can contact

1. The local Environmental Health Department
2. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE)
3. The Incident Contact Centre

 

Examples Of Major Injuries

• Fracture other than to fingers, thumbs or toes
• Amputation
• Dislocation of the shoulder, hip, knee or spine
• Loss of sight (temporary or permanent)
• Chemical or hot metal burn to the eye or any penetrating injury to the eye
• Injury resulting from electric shock or electrical burn leading to unconsciousness or requiring resuscitation or admittance to hospital for more than 24 hours
• Any other injury: leading to hypothermia, heat induced illness or unconscious; or requiring resuscitation; or requiring admittance to hospital for more than 24 hours.
• Unconsciousness caused by asphyxia or exposure to a harmful substance or biological agent
• Acute illness requiring medical treatment, or loss of consciousness arising from absorption of any substance by inhalation, ingestion or through the skin
• Acute illness requiring medical treatment where there is reason to believe that this resulted from exposure to a biological agent or its toxin or infected material
• See the detailed Guide to the Regulations (ISBN 07176 2431 5) or contact the HSE info line on 01787 881165 for further information.

 

Examples Of Work Related Disease

• Certain poisonings
• Some skin diseases such as occupational dermatitis, skin cancer, chrome ulcer, oil folliculitis/acne
• Lung diseases including occupational asthma, farmers lung, pneumoconiosis, asbestosis, mesothelioma
• Infections such as leptospirosis, hepatitis, tuberculosis, anthrax, Legionellosis and tetanus
• Other conditions such as; occupation cancer, certain musculoskeletal disorders, decompressions illness and hand-arm vibration syndrome
• See the detailed Guide to the Regulations (ISBN 07176 2431 5) or contact the HSE info line on 01787 881165 for further information.

 

Examples Of Dangerous Occurrences

• Collapse, overturning or failure of load-bearing parts of lifts and lifting equipment
• Explosion, collapse or bursting of any closed vessel or associated pipework
• Plant or equipment coming in to contact with overhead power lines
• Electrical short circuit or overload causing fire or explosion
• Accidental release of a biological agent likely to cause severe human illness
• Explosion or fire causing suspension of normal work for over 24 hours
• Unintended collapse of any building or structure under construction alteration or demolition where over 5 tonnes of material falls; a wall or floor in a place of work; any false work
• Accidental release of any substance which may damage health
• See the detailed Guide to the Regulations (ISBN 07176 2431 5) or contact the HSE info line on 01787 881165 for further information

 

Time Limits for Reporting

 

Casualty Description	Injury / Incident Type	Person Responsible for Reporting	Immediate Report Required?	Written Report Within 10 Days?
Employee	Fatality	Employer	Yes	Yes
Employee	Major injury	Employer	Yes	Yes
Employee	Over 3 day injury	Employer	No	Yes
Member of the public	Fatality	Person in control of the premises	Yes	Yes
Member of the public	Taken directly to hospital	Person in control of the premises	Yes	Yes
Employee	Work related disease	Employer	No	If possible
	Dangerous occurrence	Employer	Yes	Yes

 

Incident Notification Form F2508/2508A

Download a form to Report,

• an Injury or Dangerous Occurrence  
• a Case of Disease 

 

Local Authority Contact Details

If your business falls into one of the categories described below and the accident has occurred there then you should contact us the, local Environmental Health Department

• Office-based
• Retail or wholesale
• Warehouse
• Hotel and catering
• Sports or leisure
• Residential accommodation, excluding nursing homes
• Concerned with places of worship
• Pre-school school care
• Mobile vending

We can be contacted using any of the methods outlined a the bottom of this page.

Alternatively you may prefer to contact the Incident Contact Centre
 

Health and Safety Executive Contact Details

If your business falls into one of the following categories described below and the accident had occurred there you can contact the HSE.

• Construction sites
• Agricultural premises
• Motor vehicle repair premises
• Manufacturing premises
• Chemical plants
• Engineering works
• Nursing homes
• Hospitals, dentists etc
• Domestic premises

Please see their website www.hse.gov.uk

Alternatively you may prefer to use the Incident Contact Centre
 

Contact Details For The Incident Contact Centre

The Incident Contact Centre has been set up by the HSE to try and streamline the accident reporting system. Once contacted they will pass the details that you have given regarding the accident to the relevant enforcing authority.

Please see their website www.hse.gov.uk/riddor/