Accidents in the workplace

Businesses must record all accidents experienced by staff or visitors, in a suitable log book.

The record should include the:

• date
• method of reporting
• time
• place of the event
• personal details of the affected party
• a description of the nature of the event or disease

Accident books

An approved loose-leaf format of Accident Book (code B1510) must be used for all businesses with 10 or more employees. This is also recommended for smaller establishments. Copies are obtainable for £7.34 (£8.81 inc. VAT) from the following outlets:

• all good bookshops
• The Stationery Office
• HSE Books

A copy of completed accident reports should be kept on-site for at least 3 years.

Investigating accidents

Accidents and near misses should be investigated appropriately by the employer, and the lessons learnt used to improve their risk management systems.