SAFETY GUIDANCE
SG005.05
ACCIDENT REPORTING, INVESTIGATION, RIDDOR AND NEAR MISSES
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All accidents and near misses must be reported and recorded. Some accidents will
need to be reported to the relevant authority and some will require a formal
investigation to analyse the cause in order to prevent a recurrence and determine
preventative measures.
Employees duties
If you have an accident it must be reported to your manager and, when working
away from your place of work, the client or main contractor on whose site you have
had the accident.
Ensure that your accident is recorded in the accident book.
Near misses should be reported to your manager without undue delay. Reports can
be made verbally, verbally at the monthly safety meeting or you may complete an
accident book entry marked clearly as a “Near Miss” and hand this to your manager.
Managers duties
Accident book
All accidents must be recorded in the accident book.
The book must be available to employees at all reasonable times
The injured person or their representative (first-aider, colleague, manager, etc) can
make the entry.
Managers must ensure that the accident book entry is analysed for potential future
HSE or Insurance company interest and must be satisfied that the entry is accurate,
and factual. Check that the description of events represents what actually happened,
and does not contain embellishments. This analysis must take place as soon as
possible after the accident and Managers may seek the assistance of the Health and
Safety Manager in this regard. If such an entry is in question it will be necessary to
conduct a thorough investigation backed by a written report and supported by signed
witness statements and photographs.
All accident book entries must be removed from the book for data protection reasons
and kept by you in a confidential file.
A copy of the entry must be sent to the Safety Manager under separate cover,
marked “private and confidential”, for accident statistical analysis purposes.
SG005.05 Accident Reporting, Investigation and RIDDOR
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Near misses
Record all near misses in the safety meeting minutes. Near misses recorded on
accident book forms should be sent to the safety manager once they have been
discussed at the safety meeting.
Serious near misses should be reported without delay to the Safety Manager or a
Director.
All Accidents and Near Misses
All accidents and near misses must be thoroughly discussed as soon as possible
after the accident but no later than the next safety meeting in order to promote
awareness and discuss preventative measures.
The subsequent entry in the minutes (assuming that there has not been a thorough
investigation and written report already completed) must be thorough enough to be
used in criminal or civil actions. Therefore, if detail is lacking in the original accident
book entry then the extra actual, factual description must be written in the minutes
and it must be established if there were any witnesses if so the minute must include
their names, and any comments that they may make during the meeting.
More serious accidents, certain diseases and dangerous occurrences
More serious accidents which result in hospitalisation, lost time in excess of three
days, broken bones, unconsciousness, temporary or permanent loss of sight, certain
diseases and some dangerous occurrences may need reporting to the relevant
authority under RIDDOR, please refer to Schedule 1 below for details.
While reporting must not be delayed, the Health and Safety Manager, a Managing
Director or in their absence the Group Managing Director or the Operations
Executive Director, must be telephoned for guidance and information.
Guidance on reporting RIDDOR accidents can also be found at
www.hse.gov.uk/riddor/
Accident Investigation
Any accident reported under RIDDOR will require a detailed investigation by the
Manager. This may be done with the assistance of the Safety Manager. The
standard form AF047 must be used for the investigation.
The findings/remedial actions must be signed off by an Executive Board Member.
Completed reports must be forwarded to the Safety Manager and the Operations
Executive Director.
SG005.05 Accident Reporting, Investigation and RIDDOR
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SCHEDULE 1 RIDDOR
1.
INTRODUCTION
The reporting of Injuries, Diseases, and Dangerous Occurrences
Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR) require that managers report all deaths,
major injuries, dangerous occurrences and cases of disease to the
Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
2.
DEATH OR MAJOR INJURY
If an accident at work results in the death or major injury of an
employee or anyone else connected with that work, the manager
must:
1. Forthwith notify the HSE by the quickest practicable means by
calling the HSE Incident Contact Centre on 0845 300 99 23.
(Opening hours Monday to Friday 8.30 am to 5 pm); and
2. within 10 days of the incident send a report to the HSE. Written
reports must be submitted electronically via the HSE website
below.
All HSE specified Major Injuries are defined in the What Is Reportable
section of the HSE RIDDOR website http://www.hse.gov.uk/riddor/
Some of the Major Injuries specified include:
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Fractures (other than to fingers, thumbs or toes).
Any amputation.
Dislocation (of the shoulder, spine, hip or knee)
Loss of sight (whether temporary or permanent).
A chemical or hot metal burn to the eye or any penetrating injury to
the eye.
Any injury resulting from electric shock or electrical burn (including
any caused by arcing) leading to unconsciousness or requiring
resuscitation or admittance to hospital for more than 24 hours.
Loss of consciousness caused by asphyxia or by exposure to a
harmful substance.
Further guidance should be sought from the Health and Safety
Manager
3.
ACCIDENTS AT WORK
If an employee is off work for more than 7 days (not including the day
of the accident but including weekends and holidays) because of an
accident at work, the manager must send a written report to the HSE
within 15 days of the accident.
Ref
SG005.05 Accident Reporting, Investigation and RIDDOR
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Note: The injured person may not necessarily be away from work for 7
days but perhaps undertaking light duties.
4.
DANGEROUS OCCURRENCES
Whenever a “dangerous occurrence” happens, the manager must:
1. Forthwith notify the HSE by the quickest practicable means by
calling the HSE Incident Contact Centre on 0845 300 99 23.
(Opening hours Monday to Friday 8.30 am to 5 pm); and
2. within 10 days of the incident send a report to the HSE. Written
reports must be submitted electronically via the HSE website
below.
All HSE specified Dangerous Occurrences are defined in the What Is
Reportable
section
of
the
HSE
RIDDOR
website
http://www.hse.gov.uk/riddor/
Some of the Dangerous Occurrences specified include:
5.

Lifting equipment collapse, overturning or failure of any loadbearing part (including cranes, elevating work platforms and forklift
trucks).

Scaffolding collapse or overturning (applies only to scaffolds in
excess of 5 metres in height).

Bursting of pressure vessels or associated pipework.

Electrical short circuit or overload involving fire or explosion which
results in the stoppage of the plant for more than 24 hours or which
has the potential to cause the death of any person.

Explosion or fire resulting in the stoppage of work for more than 24
hours.

Accidental release or escape of any substance in a quantity
sufficient to cause death, major injury or any other damage to the
health of any person.
CASES OF DISEASE
If an employee is diagnosed in writing by a registered medical
practitioner as suffering from any of the specified occupational
diseases listed in the What Is Reportable section of the HSE
RIDDOR website http://www.hse.gov.uk/riddor/ , and his work involves
one of the specified activities, the Manager must:
1. Send a written report to the HSE as above within 10 days of the
receipt of the written diagnosis.
F2508/A
SG005.05 Accident Reporting, Investigation and RIDDOR
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Some of the reportable diseases specified include:
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6.
Carpel tunnel syndrome - when using hand held vibrating tools.
Legionellosis - when working on or near cooling systems that use
water.
Occupational dermatitis - when exposed to metal working fluids.
Occupational Asthma - when exposed to rosin as a soldering flux
or fumes from stainless steel welding.
Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome – when using hand held vibrating
tools.
IMPORTANT NOTES
1. While reporting must not be delayed, one of the following must be
telephoned to inform them of the situation:- The Health and Safety
Manager, Production Director, Operations Executive Director or in
their absence the Group Managing Director.
2. Keep a file on every accident and record every report, conversation
and telephone call. Where appropriate, obtain statements and
photographs.
3. Investigate the accident or incident and prepare a report using form
AF047. Your report should include:
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Injured person’s age, name, address and home phone number.
Job title.
Time, date and place of accident.
Details leading up to the accident.
Details of the accident.
What action was taken following the accident.
Conclusions as to the cause.
Recommendations for preventing a reoccurrence.
Note:
The findings/actions of the report must be signed off by an
Executive Board Member.
Forward a copy of this report and the RIDDOR report made to the
HSE to the Health & Safety Manager and the Operations Executive
Director.
Note: The HSE can ask for a copy of our internal investigation.
4. This procedure is only a summary of the requirements of RIDDOR.
!! IF IN DOUBT - ASK !!
AF04
7
SG005.05 Accident Reporting, Investigation and RIDDOR
Date
3/6/10
Issue
00
01
17/2/11
24/1/12
16/2/12
02
03
04
5/4/12
05
Changes
HSE website added, requirement for findings to be
signed off by an Exec Board member added
AP033 RIDDOR amalgamated into SG005
Operations Director Added
Extra detail and analysis of accident book entries
added
RIDDOR reporting changed to “over-seven-days”
and 15 days from the accident within which to make
the report.
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Originator
CJH
CJH
CJH
CJH
CJH
CJH