Accidents at work - Print version

We will investigate the most serious of these incidents to establish if health and safety law has been broken and also with the aim of preventing similar accidents from occurring again in the future.

This may involve looking at: company health and safety documentation, systems and procedures that the company have in place, staff training records, CCTV footage etc.

We will also talk with the injured party and any witnesses to establish exactly what happened.

What accidents should I report and to whom?

The law requires employers to report certain types of work related accidents, diseases or dangerous occurrence. These are detailed in The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 and are known as ‘RIDDOR’.

The following injuries are reportable under RIDDOR when they result from a work-related accident:

• The death of any person
• Specified injuries to workers
• Injuries to workers which result in their incapacitation for more than 7 days
• Injuries to non-workers which result in them being taken directly to hospital for treatment, or specified injuries to non-workers which occur on hospital premises.

Read the full list of reportable incidents [http://www.hse.gov.uk/riddor/reportable-incidents.htm].

If you feel that an accident has not been reported to us that should have been, please contact us.

You can access more information about accident reporting on the Health and Safety Executive's website [http://www.hse.gov.uk/riddor/index.htm].

Do I need an accident book?

All accidents or near misses at work should be recorded regardless of whether it is classed as a reportable accident. This allows you to identify trends and areas that may require improvement to prevent another similar accident from occurring in the future.

Seeking compensation?

You may wish to consult a solicitor privately. We do not get involved in civil claims, however if we have investigated an accident that you are seeking compensation for, you may be able to access information regarding the investigation via a freedom of information request [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/freedom-information-environmental-information-regulations].