Accident and Incident Reporting

 

 Introduction:

The Accident and Incident Reporting course provides comprehensive training on the procedures and protocols involved in documenting and reporting workplace accidents and incidents. Aimed at enhancing workplace safety, the course covers a range of topics including identifying different types of accidents and incidents, understanding the importance of reporting, and the legal and regulatory requirements surrounding reporting obligations. Participants will learn how to effectively gather information, assess the severity of incidents, and determine appropriate reporting channels. Emphasis is placed on the significance of timely and accurate reporting to prevent future occurrences and ensure compliance with organizational policies and relevant legislation. Key components of the course include risk assessment methodologies, incident investigation techniques, and methods for analyzing root causes. 

Why Must Accidents be Reported?

It is a legal requirement to report and record accidents, it can be done by using an accident book or an electronic system.

Why Report Near-miss Incidents?

Reporting incidents helps us to:

• Learn from incidents and near misses - whether we need to change our processes to improve safety

• Understand our gaps and vulnerabilities

• Identify where we need to focus resources, such as training and finances

• Measure our performance against our aims to reduce harm from incidents

• Meet our statutory and legal requirements to record incidents.

What is RIDDOR?

RIDDOR is the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013.

Employers, the self-employed and those in control of premises are required by law to report specified workplace incidents, such as:

• Work-related deaths

• Major injuries

• 7-day injuries (those causing more than seven day’s inability to carry out normal duties)

• Work-related diseases

• Dangerous occurrences (near-miss accidents).

Reporting Accidents and Incidents

The information gathered from reports made enables the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) and other agencies to gather the information about how and why risks arise and to investigate serious incidents. Not all incidents are reportable, but all work activities are regulated by RIDDOR.

Who Should Make the Report?

The accident/incident report may be filled in by any member of staff. There should however be a responsible nominated member of staff, who should co-ordinate the accident reporting system and be responsible for ensuring that the accident reports are properly completed. It is the responsibility of everyone to ensure that the reporting procedures are complied with.

When the Report Should be Completed

If the injured person is able to complete a report form this should be done as soon as possible after the event and before the end of the working day. The information will still be fresh in the mind of the injured person and thus will be as accurate as possible. If the injured person is not able to complete an incident report form, maybe because they have been taken to hospital or gone home, then it must be completed by another person, such as a first aider, Manager, colleague etc. on their behalf. The form must be passed to the appropriate person in order that an accident investigation can be initiated.

The Importance of Reporting

Reporting of accidents and near-miss incidents is not done to apportion blame but to investigate the causes and stop accidents happening in the future. An example is:

A person trips and almost falls due to a raised carpet tile.

If this goes unreported then someone else may trip and sustain an injury.

If this is reported the carpet tile can be replaced/repaired and no other person will be at risk.