If you are an employer, self-employed or in control of work premises you have a legal duty to report accidents, and incidence of ill health at work to the relevant enforcing authority. The information enables the enforcing authorities to identify where and how risks arise and to investigate serious accidents.
You will need to act if there is an accident connected with work which results in:
- Death or major injury to an employee or self-employed person
- Member of the public is killed or taken to hospital
- An employee suffers an injury and is unfit for work for over three days, including non-working days
- If a doctor notifies you that your employee suffers from a reportable work related disease
- If something happens which does not result in a reportable injury, but which clearly could have done, then it may be a dangerous occurrence which must be reported.
How to report an accident
Accidents should be reported to the RIDDOR Incident Contact Centre, details of which can be found on their website under external links.
Accident reporting forms
When a major injury or fatality has occurred you must notify the enforcing authority without delay and follow this up with the completed form F2508.
Form F2508A should be completed when reporting work related diseases.
Accidents cost money
Accidents cost money whether people are injured, plant and machinery damaged or products wasted:
- Sick pay
- Increased insurance premiums
- Fines
- Loss of expertise and experience
- Uninsured costs
- Compensation
A good safety record goes hand in hand with high productivity and quality standards. Prevention is not only better but cheaper than cure. Profits and safety are not in competition – on the contrary, safety is good business.