Accidents at work

Requirement

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

This information enables the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and local authorities to identify where and how risks arise and to investigate serious accidents.

You must report the following:

  • a death or major injury
  • an over-three-day injury (that is when an employee or self-employed person has an accident at work and is unable to work for or do the full range of their normal duties for more than three days, but does not have a major injury)
  • a work-related disease and
  • a dangerous occurrence (this is when something happens that does not result in a reportable injury, but which clearly could have done).

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How to report an accident at work

The reporting procedure is to report all cases to a single point, the Incident Contact Centre (ICC) based at Caerphilly.

You can report incidents in a variety of ways:

  • Internet: www.riddor.gov.uk; www.hse.gov.uk
  • Email: riddor@natbrit.com
  • Telephone: 0845 300 9923 Monday-Friday 8.30am-5pm (charged at local call rate)
  • Fax: 0845 300 9924 (charged at local call rate)
  • Post: Incident Contact Centre, Caerphilly Business Park, Caerphilly, CF83 3GG

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Further information

HSE has published guidance on RIDDOR in full:

  • Guide to the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995. Guidance on Regulations L73 1999, ISBN 0 7176 2431 5.
  • RIDDOR explained. The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 HSE31(rev1) 1999 Free leaflet. Also available in priced packs of ten, ISBN 0 7176 2441 2.
  • RIDDOR reporting: What the ICC can do for you MISC310(rev1) Free leaflet.

HSE priced and free publications are available by mail order from: HSE Books, PO Box 1999, Sudbury, Suffolk, CO10 2WA, phone 01787 881165, fax 01787 313995, website www.hsebooks.co.uk.

HSE priced publications are also available from good booksellers.

For other health and safety at work enquiries ring HSE's InfoLine 0845 345 0055, or write to HSE's Information Centre, Broad Lane, Sheffield, S3 7HQ website: www.hse.gov.uk.

The requirement to keep a record of reported incidents for inspection by visiting officers still remains.

All businesses must keep accident records in such a way as to comply with the privacy requirements of the Data Protection Act. An accident book is available from HSE Books which will meet these requirements.