All accidents, however minor the injury, should be recorded in the accident book in your workplace. Accident books can be ordered from HSE books - the newest version of the accident book complies with the requirements of the Data Protection Act.
Certain injuries, diseases and "dangerous occurrences" - events which do not cause injury but are potentially very serious - must be reported to the enforcing authority under The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR).
Details of what is included in the various categories can be found on the Riddor website but to summarise, the following must be reported:
All incidents can be reported to a central point - the Incident Contact Centre -by telephone, fax, e-mail, on the internet (through the Riddor website) or by post. If you have any queries about Riddor reporting the officers of the Food, Health and Safety team will be pleased to help you.
You can contact the incident centre by phone 0845 300 9923, by e-mail riddor@natbrit.com or by post
ICC
Caerphilly Business Park
Caerphilly
CF83 3GG
All reports are passed to the Local Authority (if they are the enforcing authority for your business) or the Health and Safety Executive as appropriate.
To be reportable under Riddor, the accident needs to be connected with a work activity. this could mean that the work itself led to the injury, or there was a defect or hazards within the premises. If the injury or incident had nothing to do with the work or the premises (such as a customer walking into a shop and having a heart attack) there is no need to report it. If in any doubt, it is always better to report than not!
Deaths, major injuries, public taken to hospital and dangerous occurrences must be reported immediately by telephone, fax or on the internet.
Other categories must be reported within 10 days.