After a workplace accident, two recording duties may apply to your employer: the accident book entry under the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1979, and — in defined cases — a RIDDOR report to the Health and Safety Executive. Both can become useful evidence if you later make a claim.
What Is the Accident Book?
The accident book is the workplace record of injuries sustained at work. Under UK health and safety law, employers with ten or more employees must keep an accident record (commonly the HSE's BI 510 accident book or a compliant equivalent). Smaller employers are still expected to record workplace accidents in some form.
Each entry typically captures the injured person's details, the date, time and location of the accident, what happened, the injuries sustained, and the name of the person making the entry.
How to Make Sure It's Recorded
- Report your accident to a manager or supervisor as soon as practical
- Ask for the accident book entry to be made the same day where possible
- Read the entry before signing — make sure it accurately reflects what happened
- Ask for a copy of the entry; you are entitled to one
What If You Were Not Able to Record It at the Time?
This does not necessarily prevent a claim. You can ask for a late entry to be made. Other evidence — medical records, photographs, witness accounts, CCTV — can still support your case.
What Is RIDDOR?
RIDDOR stands for the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013. It places a duty on the responsible person — usually the employer — to report certain categories of work-related accident, occupational disease, and dangerous occurrence to the Health and Safety Executive.
Examples of RIDDOR-Reportable Incidents
- Death of any worker or member of the public arising from a work activity
- Specified injuries — including fractures (other than fingers, thumbs and toes), amputations, serious burns, and loss of consciousness from head injury or asphyxia
- Injuries to workers that result in incapacity for more than seven consecutive days
- Specified occupational diseases — including occupational dermatitis, occupational asthma, hand-arm vibration syndrome, and certain cancers linked to occupational exposure
- Defined dangerous occurrences — such as collapse of scaffolding or accidental release of harmful substances
Who Reports It?
The duty to report under RIDDOR rests with the responsible person — typically the employer, the self-employed person, or the person in control of the premises. As an injured worker you do not have to make the RIDDOR report yourself.
Does Your Claim Depend on These Records?
No. A claim does not depend on whether the accident was entered in the accident book or reported under RIDDOR. However, both can be valuable evidence — particularly where liability is disputed — and a missing or inaccurate entry can sometimes itself indicate a wider failing in the employer's safety management.