As an employer, you have a legal responsibility to keep your staff safe and prevent accidents in the workplace. This can be achieved by providing appropriate health and safety training, supplying the correct equipment such as PPE, and ensuring machinery and equipment are regularly maintained.
If an employee is injured at work, it is important that the situation is handled correctly. In some cases, employees may make a personal injury claim, so employers should ensure they have followed the proper procedures and recorded the incident appropriately.
In this article, we will explain what counts as an accident at work, why keeping an accident book is important, and how to report an incident correctly.
What constitutes accidents in the workplace?
Accidents at work is an unexpected event that causes harm or injury to staff while carrying out their job. This can include minor incidents such as slips and trips, as well as more serious accidents involving machinery or falls.
It’s important to fully understand how workplace accidents happen to ensure the right safety measures are in place to protect your staff.
How to Handle Accidents in the Workplace
The health and safety of your employees are your top priority. Therefore, it is crucial you respond quickly and effectively to ensure staff feel supported and safe. Here are the main steps to take when dealing with accidents in the workplace:
Follow Accident Procedure
The first thing to do when an injury is reported is to follow correct procedures and ensure the employee is seen by a First Aider. You must make sure you have at least one first aider available at all times. A first aid kit should also be available. This should be easily accessible, well-stocked, staff should know exactly where to find it. A First Aid Kit should include:
- Plasters and bandages
- Disposable gloves
- Antiseptic wipes
- Medical tape
- Gauze pads
If the incident is severe, you must call an ambulance.
Accident Books
All businesses are legally required to record accidents at work. Therefore, you must record any incidents in as much detail as possible in a company accident book. This should include contact details and name of the person who suffered the injury. You must also include name and contact details of the person reporting the incident. Make sure you write down the date, time, and location of the accident, and what the injury was.
This record is important as it can be cross-referenced with medical records if a personal injury claim is made. It helps employers provide evidence that the accident occurred and outlines the nature and extent of the injury.
Employees are required to notify the responsible person about the incident within one month of it occurring. However, they may have up to two years to formally submit a claim.
Report the incident
RIDDOR (the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations) is a piece of legislation that requires employers to report certain workplace incidents.
This includes accidents that result in an employee being unable to work for more than seven days, serious injuries such as amputations, blindness, organ damage or bone fractures, occupational illnesses, and any death resulting from a workplace injury.
Reports must be made by the responsible person within the organisation. In most cases, this will be the employer or someone acting on their behalf. Incidents must usually be reported within 10 days of the accident. However, if an employee is unable to work for more than seven consecutive days, the report must be submitted within 15 days of the incident.
Investigations
As an employer, it’s your responsibility to investigate the accident and find out how it happened. An example of steps to take include:
- Pull together and record all information around the accidents at work. This should include witness statements.
- Use this information to identify what caused the incident.
- Look for any risk control measures to prevent dangers in the future. If you have identified hazards, remove this immediately.
- Think about how you are going to implement these measures. Are you going to update processes? Provide more training? Provide new equipment?
- You should then create an action plan that outlines your next steps. Clearly demonstrate any actions that will take place and set deadlines for this.
Sick Pay
If your staff have faced any accidents at work, you need to give them time to recover from the illness or injury. You must ensure while your employee is off, they are paid correctly. Check employee contracts to find out what employees should receive during this time. If it states they are entitled to full pay, you must ensure they receive this. However, if it doesn’t, they should be entitled to statutory sick pay.
Return to Work
When an employee returns to work after an injury, it’s important to hold a return to work meeting. This is a great way to check-in and make sure they are well enough to return to work. If their job involves physical tasks such as lifting or standing for long periods of time, you may need to look at give them lighter duties until they are ready to do their job as normal. This is important to avoid any further injuries.
If your employee faced emotional or psychological harm due to the incident, we recommend removing them from anything that may cause them further distress.
Preventing Future Accidents in the Workplace
While it is important to respond appropriately when an accident occurs, preventing accidents in the first place should always be the main priority. Employers should regularly review their health and safety procedures to ensure they remain effective and suitable for the workplace.
This includes carrying out risk assessments, providing regular training, and making sure employees understand how to carry out their tasks safely. Equipment and machinery should also be inspected and maintained regularly to reduce the risk of faults or failures.
Clear reporting procedures are equally important. Employees should feel confident reporting hazards, near misses or safety concerns so that issues can be addressed before they result in injury.
By taking a proactive approach to health and safety, employers can create a safer working environment, reduce the risk of incidents and demonstrate their commitment to employee wellbeing.
How The HR Booth Can Help
Managing workplace accidents and ensuring your business remains compliant with health and safety requirements can be challenging, particularly when dealing with injuries, investigations and reporting obligations.
At The HR Booth, we support employers with practical guidance on managing workplace incidents, maintaining accurate records and ensuring the correct procedures are followed. We can also help review your policies, support accident investigations and provide advice on managing absence and return-to-work processes following an injury.
Our team works closely with businesses to ensure they remain compliant while creating safe and supportive working environments for their employees.
If you would like support managing workplace health and safety procedures or have a question on accidents at work, our team would be happy to help.
