Advice Sheet 10: Accident Reporting & First Aid

There is a legal requirement to report certain workplace accidents (The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995). Diseases related to specified occupational activities must also be reported where a registered medical practitioner has made a written diagnosis. It is also essential that arrangements be made to provide first aid if someone is injured at work. First aid requirements apply to both employers and the self-employed, but not in respect of non-employees.

Accidents

1. Reporting Accidents

Certain types of accidents need to be reported to your Enforcing Authority*. Exact details are given in the guide HSE 31: RIDDOR explained, but in short:

• Fatal or specified major injuries to anyone in connection with your business need to be reported without delay (e.g. by phone call).

• If anyone working for you is incapacitated (cannot do their normal job) for more than three days because of an accident, a report must be made within 10 days.

• If no injury results, but the accident is classed as a Dangerous Occurrence (see Guidance HSE 31 referred to above for a list of reportable Dangerous Occurrences), a report must also be made without delay.

• A form F25082 should be used for reporting notifiable accidents and dangerous occurrences.

2. Keeping Records

• A record must be kept of all reportable injuries and dangerous occurrences. The DSS Accident Book (BI510) or the Health and Safety Executives F2509 would suffice for recording these details.

• Records should be kept for 3 years

• The DSS require an accident book to be kept on the premises if over 10 people are employed by your organisation.

3. Investigating Accidents

• Routinely investigating workplace accidents to establish the cause is essential if accidents are to be avoided in the future.

• Accident books should also be regularly reviewed. Apart from looking at the frequency of accidents, checks should be made for reporting accuracy (under RIDDOR) and the development of patterns.

• In the case of the latter, look at the locations where the accidents are occurring, the types of injuries suffered and the equipment or substances involved.

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First Aid Arrangements

1. First-Aid Kits

• To be provided by employers for their employees and the self-employed for themselves.

• The First-Aid box should be clearly marked (white cross on a green background).

• Only specified contents should be kept in the box - nothing else. A list of the minimum specified contents is available from your Enforcing Authority.

• Special contents are permissible for specific hazards if training has been provided.

2. Appointed Persons

• Appointed persons are not fully trained "first aiders", but simply take charge of a situation when an injured person may need medical help.

• Appointed persons also take charge of first aid equipment and facilities.

• All employers must appoint such persons. This is a minimum standard and they must be available at all times when people are at work.

3. Suitable Persons

• These are people trained in first aid.

• As a guide, in a low risk situation (e.g. office work), one suitable person is required for every 50 employees.

• Higher risk work may require suitable persons to be appointed for fewer staff.

• Cover should be available for shift-work and holidays.

• Training must be provided by an organisation approved by the Health and Safety Executive3.

• Refresher training should be provided and records kept of qualification details.

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Further Information:

* See About This Pack; 2 F2508 Report of Injury or Dangerous Occurrence ISBN 0 7176 0417 9; 3Advice should be sought from the Health and Safety Executive at the address at the beginning if this pack; A Guide to the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (HSE) (L73) ISBN - 7176-2431-5; RIDDOR explained (HSE 31); First Aid at Work. Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 - Approved Code of Practice and Guidance 1990 (HSE) ISBN 0 7176 0426 8.

 Advice Sheet 10: Accident Reporting & First Aid

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