Question

What are these accidents, diseases, and dangerous occurrences?

Answer

There are many injuries and illnesses  which must be reported and the following, while not exhaustive, will give examples from the retail trade of incidents which would be reported:

• Death, major injury (amputation, broken limbs, dislocations)
• Where an employee or self-employed is injured and the person is away from work or unable to work normally for more than 7 days
• Back and limb injuries due to lifting, contact with moving equipment etc
• Diseases of the lung or skin resulting from exposure at work
• Infections such as Hepatitis resulting from work related exposure
• Dangerous Occurrences such as the accidental release of dangerous substances, or Near Misses, which would have other than by good fortune, required reporting.
• An accident to a non-employee (e.g. a customer) if they are killed or taken to hospital.

Reporting an accident

Online

Complete the appropriate report form online at the Health and Safety Executives RIDDOR website

Telephone

All incidents can be reported online but a telephone service remains for reporting fatal and major injuries only - call the Incident Contact Centre on 0845 300 9923 (opening hours Monday to Friday 8.30 am to 5 pm).

However in the event of death or major injury telephone in the first instance to: Health & Safety Enforcement Team, Nottingham City Council.

Telephone Nottingham 915 6753 at the earliest opportunity following the incident. Details must then be provided to the Incident Contact Centre (see above).

An Accident Book, although not required under Health and Safety legislation, (they are a requirement of Social Security legislation) can be a suitable method of discharging the duty to the employer to record any use of the First Aid provision and of recording their reporting action under RIDDOR.

A new edition of the Accident Book (No B1 510) was issued in May 2003. To comply with the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA) personal details entered in accident books must be kept confidential.

The new Accident Book has been redesigned so that individual record sheets can be removed and stored securely. This will help you to keep personal information in confidence.

An Accident Book known as a Form BI 510 can be bought from most good bookshops.