Health and Safety Accidents
What is an accident?
Unplanned, uncontrolled event leading to actual or potential injury, damage or loss
Accidents and consequences
Major injuries, fatalities, damage or loss
Minor injuries, damage or loss
Near-misses (no injury, damage or loss)
Prevention
Remove the cause
Protection
Minimise the consequences.
Slips, trips and falls are due to:
Slippery or contaminated floor surfaces
Uneven or damaged flooring
Uneven or damaged stairs
Inappropriate footwear
Poor lighting
Human behaviour.
Reasons to investigate accidents
Legal requirement
Identify the factors that contributed
Insurance
Enforcement authorities
Prevent it happening again,
Employee’s responsibility:
Report all accidents to manager/designated person
Employer’s responsibility:
Records: accident book or company report form and copies kept on site
Report certain accidents to the Enforcement Authority (HSE/Local Authority).
The following information must be entered in the Accident Book:
Person affected/injured
Home address
Person reporting the incident
About the accident/incident
Description of the accident/incident
Must comply with data protection legislation.
Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 2013
Fatalities, injuries and dangerous occurrences should be notified to the authorities by the quickest practicable means and have a full report submitted within 10 days.
Accidents that result in the incapacitation of workers for over seven days must be reported within 15 days from the day of the incident.
In occupational diseases, a report of the diagnosis should be sent without delay.
All reports are made to the HSE and can be reported online using the appropriate RIDDOR form.
Once completed, the form will be submitted directly to the RIDDOR database.