Health and Safety at Work - Reporting Accidents
In the 'Resources' section below on the right-hand side of this page, you will find the Reporting Accidents leaflet providing information and advice for members and activists in schools and colleges throughout the UK on reporting an accident, assault, incident or near miss.
RIDDOR reporting change
Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR)
In England, Scotland and Wales, as of 6 April 2012, the reporting requirement in RIDDOR for over-three-day injuries has changed. The trigger point for when an incident must be reported to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has increased from over three days’ to over seven days’ incapacitation (not counting the day on which the accident happened).
Incapacitation means that the worker is absent or is unable to do work that they would reasonably be expected to do as part of their normal work.
Employers, and others with responsibilities under RIDDOR, must still keep a record of all over-three day-injuries – if the employer has to keep an accident book, then this record will be enough.
The deadline by which the over-seven-day injury must be reported has also increased to 15 days from the day of the accident.
A new HSE leaflet Reporting accidents and incidents at work (new window) explains the change.
The three day trigger point remains in Northern Ireland, although a similar change is expected in 2013.
Model Policy (adverse events)
In 2009, the NASUWT produced a Report to Conference - Reporting Incidents, Accidents and Assaults: A National Survey of Local Authority Policies and Practice in the UK (PDF - 360KB). Following adoption of the Report by Conference, the National Health and Safety at Work Committee has drawn up model policies and procedures for reporting, recording and investigating incidents, accidents, assaults, near misses and incidents of occupational ill health, referred to as the Model Policy: adverse events.
