How to report accidents in your hospitality business.

This article has been written by Pilla Founder, Liam Jones, click to email Liam directly, he reads every email.

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Accident reporting is a key part of managing health and safety. In the UK, RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013) says you have to report certain workplace accidents, near-misses and work-related health issues to the HSE (Health and Safety Executive). This includes things like deaths, major injuries, dangerous incidents and cases of disease. Keeping proper records helps you spot patterns and prevent future problems.

There are also rules about keeping an accident book and when you need to report incidents to your insurer or the authorities. If you don't report RIDDOR incidents, you could face a big fine.

In the US, OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) has similar rules about reporting serious workplace accidents, injuries and deaths. Employers have to report any worker fatalities within 8 hours and inpatient hospitalisations, amputations or eye losses within 24 hours.

So, it's really important to have a proper system for reporting and recording accidents as part of your health and safety arrangements. This helps keep your people safe, lets you find ways to prevent future incidents and keeps you on the right side of the law. It's not just a legal duty, it's the right thing to do to look after your staff and visitors.

Accident Reporting Arrangements

The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013

  • •In the event of an injury, disease, or dangerous occurrence, the *Responsible Persons should notify the Incident Contact Centre.
  • •Upon receiving a detailed appraisal of the incident reporting online at www.hse.gov.uk the details to the enforcing authority, a copy of which will be sent to you for your records.
  • •Every serious incident should be notified to senior management and thoroughly investigated in order to identify the cause of the incident and to plan and implement measures to prevent recurrence.

Events, which are reportable

  • •The death of any person as a result of an accident arising out of or in connection with work – including the death of an employee, if this occurs sometime after the reportable injury, which led to that employee’s death (but not more than one year afterwards).
  • •Any of the following specified injuries to a person at work as a result of an accident arising out of or in connection with work:
  • •a) Fractures, other than to fingers, thumbs, and toes.
  • •b) Amputations.
  • •c) Any injury likely to lead to permanent loss of sight or reduction in sight.
  • •d) Any crush injury to the head or torso causing damage to the brain or internal organs.
  • •e) Serious burns (including scalding) which:- Covers more than 10% of the body.- Causes significant damage to the eyes, respiratory system, or other vital organs.
  • •
    • •Covers more than 10% of the body.
  • •
    • •Causes significant damage to the eyes, respiratory system, or other vital organs.
  • •f) Any scalping requiring hospital treatment.
  • •g) Any loss of consciousness caused by head injury or asphyxia & any other injury arising from working in an enclosed space which:- Leads to hypothermia or heat-induced illness.- Requires resuscitation or admittance for more than 24 hours.
  • •
    • •Leads to hypothermia or heat-induced illness.
  • •
    • •Requires resuscitation or admittance for more than 24 hours.
  • •Incapacitation of a person at work (i.e., an employee, a self-employed person, or a person receiving training for employment) from his or her normal work for more than 7 days as a result of an injury (an ‘over 7 day’ injury) caused by an accident at work – to be reported on the appropriate online form. The 7 day does not count the day on which the accident happened, and employers and others with responsibilities under RIDDOR must still keep a record of all-over three-day injuries. The deadline by which all over seven-day injuries must be reported is 15 days from the day of the accident. Accidents must be recorded, but not reported where they result in a worker being incapacitated for more than three consecutive days. If you are an employer who must keep an accident book under the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1979, that record will be enough.
  • •Any injury to a person not at work, e.g., public, resulting from an accident arising out of or in connection with work, which results in them being taken to hospital, from the accident premises, for treatment in respect of that injury.
  • •Any occupational disease as defined in the Reporting of Injuries Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR).
  • •Any gas incident as defined in RIDDOR.

NOTE: For the purposes of the Reporting of Injuries and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 at work.

  • •The persons responsible for Reporting all Reportable accidents and Injuries Within the Workplace are identified on your house responsibility chart.
  • •*In the event of an accident in the workplace, the person with ultimate responsibility for health and safety within the company should be informed.
  • •A record must be made and kept of all reportable injuries and dangerous occurrences. The record must contain in each case:The date and time of the accident-causing injury.The following particulars about the person affected:(a) Full Name.(b) Occupation.(c) Nature of injury or condition.Place where the accident happened.A brief description of the circumstances.
  • •The date and time of the accident-causing injury.
  • •The following particulars about the person affected:(a) Full Name.(b) Occupation.(c) Nature of injury or condition.
  • •(a) Full Name.
  • •(b) Occupation.
  • •(c) Nature of injury or condition.
  • •Place where the accident happened.
  • •A brief description of the circumstances.
  • •The nature of the record is not stipulated by RIDDOR. It is left to the responsible person to use a form of record considered to be appropriate.

The persons responsible for Reporting all Reportable accidents and Injuries Within the Workplace are identified on your house responsibility chart.

*In the event of an accident in the workplace, the person with ultimate responsibility for health and safety within the company should be informed.

A record must be made and kept of all reportable injuries and dangerous occurrences. The record must contain in each case:

The date and time of the accident-causing injury.

The following particulars about the person affected:

  • •(a) Full Name.
  • •(b) Occupation.
  • •(c) Nature of injury or condition.

(a) Full Name.

(b) Occupation.

(c) Nature of injury or condition.

Place where the accident happened.

A brief description of the circumstances.

The nature of the record is not stipulated by RIDDOR. It is left to the responsible person to use a form of record considered to be appropriate.