The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences

INTRODUCTION

Employers and persons who have control over employees and work premises are required to notify and report to their Enforcing Authority by the quickest means practicable (normally by telephone) the following, should they occur at work:

Certain accidents causing injuries, fatal and non-fatal, including those as a result of physical violence
Certain occupational diseases
Certain dangerous occurrences even where no injury results.

The duty to report applies not only in the case of accidents to employees, but also to visitors, customers and members of the public killed or injured by work activities.

INJURIES REPORTABLE TO THE ENFORCING AUTHORITIES:

Death as a result of an accident arising out of, or in connection with, work
Major injury of a person at work as a result of an accident arising out of, or in connection with, work
Injury suffered by a person not at work (e.g. a visitor, customer, client, passenger or bystander) as a result of an accident arising out of, or in connection with, work, where that person is taken from the accident site to a hospital for treatment
Major injury suffered by a person not at work, as a result of an accident arising out of, or in connection with, work at a hospital
Injuries or deaths connected with the movement of a vehicle on a road which result from
- exposure to substances being carried on a vehicle; an accident involving a train
- work associated with the loading or unloading of a vehicle; work on the road, the roadside or buildings adjacent to a road
The death of an employee if it occurs within a year following a reportable injury
Incapacitation for work of a person for more than three consecutive days as a result of an injury caused by an accident at work.

The following are classed as major injuries:

Any fracture, other than to fingers, thumbs or toes; Dislocation of the shoulder, hip, knee or spine
Amputation
Loss of sight, whether temporary or permanent
A chemical or hot metal burn to the eye or any penetrating injury to the eye
Any injury resulting from an electric shock or electrical burn leading to unconsciousness or requiring resuscitation or admittance to hospital for more than 24 hours
Any other injury leading to hypothermia, heat induced illness or unconsciousness, which requires resuscitation or admittance to hospital for more than 24 hours
Loss of consciousness caused by asphyxia or exposure to a harmful substance or biological agent
Loss of consciousness, or acute illness which requires medical treatment, as a result of the absorption of any substance by inhalation, ingestion or through the skin
Acute illness requiring medical treatment where there is reason to believe that this resulted from exposure to a biological agent or its toxins or infected material.

WHO SHOULD NOTIFY THE AUTHORITIES?

The person generally responsible for reporting injury-causing accidents, deaths or diseases is the employer. Where a person who is not at work or who is self-employed but not working on their own premises suffers a fatal or non-fatal injury, the person having control of the work premises or activity will be the responsible person.

WHO TO NOTIFY

Arrangements are in place to allow reporting to a single location:

Incident Contact Centre
Caerphilly Business Park
Caerphilly
CF38 3GG

Tel: 0845 300 9923
Fax: 0845 300 9924
E-mail: riddor@natbrit.com

Reports can be made by post, telephone, fax or e-mail. You can still report directly to your local HSE office or local authority (by phone and then on form 2508 or 2508a), and these reports will be forwarded to the Incident Contact Centre for processing. You should contact Croner Consulting (formerly IRPC) to check whether an accident or incident is reportable prior to contacting the Authorities.

OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES

Employers must also report cases of occupational disease such as the following:

Conditions due to physical agents and the physical demands of work

Inflammation, ulceration or malignant disease of the skin, or malignant disease of the bones, or blood dyscrasia due to ionising radiation
Cataract due to electromagnetic radiation
Decompression illness
Barotrauma resulting in lung or other organ damage
Cramp of the hand or forearm due to repetitive movements
Subcutaneous cellulitis of the hand
Bursitis or subcutaneous cellulitis arising at or about the knee or elbow due to severe or prolonged external friction or pressure at or about the knee or elbow
Traumatic inflammation of the tendons of the hand or forearm or of the associated tendon sheaths
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Hand-arm vibration syndrome.

Infections due to biological agents

Brucellosis
Avian or ovine chlamydiosis
Infections such as hepatitis, legionellosis, leptospirosis, anthrax, tetanus, tuberculosis, lyme disease, Q fever, rabies, streptococcus suis
Any infection attributable to the performance of work associated with micro-organisms, live/dead human beings, blood or bodily fluids, work with animals, and any potentially infected material associated with the above.

Conditions due to substances

Poisonings by certain substances including lead, cadmium, arsenic, beryllium, mercury, manganese, phosphorus and their respective compounds.
Lung diseases including pneumoconiosis, asbestosis, mesothelioma, occupational asthma, farmer's lung
Various work-related cancers including that of the lung, bronchus, bladder, skin, nasal cavity or associated air sinuses
Various skin diseases such as occupational dermatitis, acne, folliculitis.

This is not an exhaustive list of diseases and further information may be obtained from your Croner Consulting (formerly IRPC) advice line.

DANGEROUS OCCURRENCES

Certain dangerous occurrences, including those listed below, must be reported to the Enforcing Authority.

Electrical short circuit or overload causing a fire or explosion which results in stoppage of the plant involved for more than 24 hours or which has the potential to cause a fatality
Any fire or explosion that results in the stoppage of plant or the suspension of normal work in premises for more than 24 hours
The collapse, overturning, or failure of any load bearing part of any lift or lifting equipment, including hoists, cranes, mobile powered access platforms, excavators, pile-driving frames and fork lift trucks
The failure of any closed vessel (including a boiler) and any associated pipework in a pressure system which has the potential to cause a fatality
The collapse or partial collapse of any scaffold over 5 metres high or, if erected near water, where there is a risk of drowning to a person falling from the scaffold into the water, or the collapse of any slung or suspended scaffold which causes a work platform or cradle to fall
Any unintended collapse of any building or structure under construction, alteration or demolition where over 5 tonnes of material falls, or the collapse of a wall or floor in any workplace
Any unintentional incident in which plant and equipment comes into contact with an overhead power line or causes a discharge from an electric line
Any unintentional explosion, misfire or failure of the shots in any demolition process to cause the collapse of a building or structure, the projection of material beyond the site boundary, or injury to a person resulting from the explosion or discharge of any explosives or detonator
Any incident in which breathing apparatus malfunctions while in use or during testing immediately prior to use.

There are other specified dangerous occurrences associated with a range of circumstances or with specific industries such as quarries, mines, railways and offshore.

Should you require any further information, please contact your Croner Consulting (formerly IRPC) advice line.

GAS INCIDENTS

Any death or major injury that has arisen in connection with a flammable gas distributed, filled, imported or supplied, must be reported by the conveyor, filler, importer or supplier of a fixed pipe distribution system or refillable container.

Employers and the self-employed registered with an organisation approved by the HSE e.g. CORGI, have specific responsibilities to report gas fittings, flues or ventilation arrangements which could cause death or major injury because of:

Accidental leakage of gas
Inadequate combustion of gas, or
Inadequate removal of the products of combustion of gas.