Accidents at work

The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR) is the law that requires employers, and other people in charge of work premises, to report and keep records of:

  • work-related accidents which cause deaths
  • work-related accidents which cause certain serious injuries (reportable injuries)
  • diagnosed cases of certain industrial diseases; and
  • certain ‘dangerous occurrences’ (incidents with the potential to cause harm).

Health and safety law is regulated by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

What is classed as an accident?

An accident could be anything that causes injury whether it happened at work or came about as a result of a work activity. Accidents themselves do not have to be reported but the injuries which result from an accident do. So, if there is an accident in which no one suffers any injury, there is no need to report it.

The legal requirement

Incidents that need reporting include:

  • injuries which cause the death of any person (your employee, another company's employee or a member of the public) or
  • major injury to your employee or a self employed person, including as a result of physical violence
  • where a member of the public is taken to hospital
  • injuries which result in your employee being off work, or unable to do their usual job for more than seven days.

Read the Health and Safety Executive’s information about reportable incidents

Accident books

All businesses must keep a record of reported incidents accident in such a way as to comply with the privacy requirements of the Data Protection Act. An HSE accident book is available to order online which will meet these requirements.

Order an HSE accident book

Report an accident at work

Report a health and safety incident