Accident Recording,

Reporting and Investigation

Leigh Simmonds
BA(Hons) DipNEBOSH CMIOSH MIIRSM MIMSPA

Principal Health and Safety Officer

17 November 2011
CHILDRENS & ADULTS SERVICES

Objectives
Define the principles of accidents and near misses.

State when and how to report an accident/incident

including RIDDOR reporting.

Identify steps for carrying out an accident investigation.

Accident
An undesired event that results
in harm to people, damage to
property or loss to process.
International Loss Control Institute

Incident or Near Miss

An undesired event that, under
different circumstances, could have
resulted in harm to people, loss to
process or damage to plant.
International Loss Control Institute (Near Miss)

Categories of Accident

No injury no property damage

No injury property damage
Injury no property damage
Injury and property damage

Only categories 3 and 4 tend to be reported and investigated

in many organisations.

Bird Triangle

1
10
60
600

Major injuries
> 3 day injuries
Minor injuries
Near misses

Accident Prevention Reasons

Death
Disability
Pain/suffering
Stress & anxiety
Impact on family and friends
Reduced workforce morale

Accident Prevention Reasons

Prosecutions/fines/jail
Costs resulting from prohibition notices
Legal fees
Increased insurance premiums
Repair costs
Staff replacement costs

Costs of Accidents Accident Iceberg

Accident Iceberg

8 - 36

Insured costs

Uninsured costs

The Cost of Accidents at Work HSG 96

Costs of Accidents
Insured costs

Injury Employers Liability insurance

Public liability
Fire insurance
Damage to vehicles, plant, buildings etc.
Illness

Costs of Accidents
Uninsured costs

Product/material damage
Tool/equipment damage
Legal costs
Site clearance
Production delays
Additional labour/overtime

Costs of Accidents
Uninsured costs

Investigation time
Clerical effort
Fines
Loss of expertise
Loss of experienced workers
Damage to company image/reputation

Accident Facts
On average 245 people die at work each year.
30,000 serious work place injuries happen each year.
38.5 million work days are lost each year due to work
place injuries.
25,000 people leave the work force every year never
to return due harm suffered at work.
70% of incidents are preventable by good management.

Costs of Accidents
Poor safety management costs the country 16
billion per year (23% of GDP).
The above equates to 200 per employee.
Three in ten organisations have no H&S budget.
1/3 of all organisations have managers who fail to
appreciate the importance of H&S.
British Safety Council Survey

The Costs of Accidents at Work (HSG96)

Organisation

Annualised
Loss

Representing

Construction site

700,000

8.5% of tender
price

Creamery

975,336

1.4% of operating
costs

Oil platform

3,763,684

Hospital

397,140

14.2% of potential
output

Transport company

195,712

5% of running
costs
37% of profits

Misconceptions

Accidents cannot be prevented

We dont have many accident
Safety is expensive
We are insured anyway

The Cost of Accidents

If you think health and safety is expensive, try having
an accident
Sir Stelios Haji-loannou
Founder and ex CEO easyjet

Causes of workplace accidents

Pure chance theory
Biased liability theory
Accident proneness theory
Domino theory
Multi-causation theory

Accident causation - Heinrich

888% caused by unsafe acts or omissions
110% by mechanical failure or physical conditions
22% by Acts of God

Updated Domino Theory

(Bird & Loftus)

Lack of
Management
Control

Unsafe
underlying
causes

Unsafe acts,
omissions
or conditions

Accident

Injury, damage
near miss

Emphasis on management failure rather than

individual failure

Multicausation Theory (Tree)

Underlying
Causes

Unsafe
Acts

Underlying
Causes

Unsafe
Conditions

Accident

Injury
Loss

Unsafe Acts / Omissions

Operating without authority

Using faulty equipment
Failing to follow instructions
Horseplay
Failure to use PPE
Operating at unsafe speed

Unsafe Conditions

Inadequate/missing guarding
Poor housekeeping
Defective equipment
Inadequate lighting
Unsuitable/damaged PPE
Trip hazards
Badly maintained equipment

Accident Forms

Minor Injuries
All those injuries that do not fall into the major or
three day categories are non RIDDOR reportable.

Accident Investigation

To find the root & underlying causes

to prevent a re-occurrence.

Not to apportion blame.

No legal requirement to investigate

accidents.

4 steps of an Investigation

Gathering the information

Analysing the information
Identifying risk control measures
The action plan and its implementation

Site Visit - Equipment

Report form/check list

Notebook and pens
Tape recorder
Measuring tape
Cameras - instant/35mm/digital
Sample containers
Specialist equipment e.g. Draeger tubes, decibel
meter

Interviewing Witnesses

Use a non-threatening place for the interview.

Put the witness at ease.
Explain clearly the purpose of the interview.
Ask easy, open questions which do not lead.
Ask what happened and listen without interruption.
Separate fact from opinion.
Be considerate tolerant and patient!
Close the interview by explaining what will happen next.
Make notes and ask for signature at end of interview.

RIDDOR 1995
Reporting of
Injuries
Diseases and
Dangerous
Occurrences
Regulations

What you need to know about RIDDOR

If you are an employer, or are in control of work premises or
employees, you have a duty under RIDDOR.
You have a duty to report some work related accidents,
diseases and dangerous occurrences.
Reporting some Accidents and ill Health at work is a legal
responsibility.

When do I make a report?

If there is an accident / incident connected with work
and involves one of the following:
Death or Major Injury
Over three day injury causing absence from work
Notification of work related disease
Dangerous occurrence

Death or Major Injury

An employee, or a self-employed person working on
your premises is:
killed
Suffers a major injury (including physical violence).

A member of the public is killed or taken to hospital

(due to your acts or omissions).

Over 3 Day Injury

An over three day injury is one which is not a major
injury but results in the injured person being away from
work or unable to complete his / her full range of normal
duties.
NNot counting day of injury, all other days which
include days not normally worked including weekends.

Non-consensual Violence
Resulting in death, major injury or more
than 3 day injury.
In connection with work
Reportable

Injuries to non-employees
You need to report an accident that happens to
someone who is not at work, eg a pupil or visitor, if:
the person involved is killed or taken to hospital;
and
the accident arises out of or in connection with the
work activity.

Injuries to non-employees
An accident will be reportable if it is attributable to:

work organisation (eg the supervision of a field trip);

plant or substances (eg lifts, machinery, experiments
etc);
the condition of the premises.

Accidents and incidents that happen in relation to

curriculum sports activities and result in pupils being
killed or taken to hospital for treatment are reportable

Reportable Diseases
Report in writing within 10 days using form F2508A
Diseases listed in RIDDOR 1995
Common reportable diseases include occupational
dermatitis or asthma

Reportable Diseases
Examples
Various WRULDs e.g. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome,
Hand-arm Vibration Syndrome.
Biological infections e.g. Hepatitis, Tetanus,
Legionellosis
Poisoning e.g by arsenic or lead
Cancers

Dangerous Occurrences
Report by quickest practicable means followed by
F2508 within 10 days (via ICC)
Gas incidents use form F2508G
Balfour Beatty tunnel collapse at Heathrow resulting
in fine in excess of 1.2 million

Dangerous Occurrences
Examples

Collapse of a crane or hoist

Overturning of a fork lift truck
Failure of a pressure system
Fire/explosion from an electrical short circuit
Collapse of a scaffold
Major gas leak
Collapse of a building

How to report an Accident or Incident

All accidents can be reported online at
https://extranet.hse.gov.uk/lfserver/external/F2508IE but
a telephone service remains for reporting fatalities and
major injuries only. Call the incident contact centre on
0845 300 9923

Any Questions