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Procedure for Accident Reporting and Investigation

Contractors Knowledge Base

Objective

Numbers and types of accidents and work related illnesses are one means of monitoring the success of health and safety procedures. They are also an indicator of areas where more effort may be required to reduce the number of injuries. It is therefore vital that all injuries, however small, are reported and inquiries made to identify means of avoiding a repetition.

Administration

Accidents and incidents of work related ill-health must be recorded in the official site accident book B1510. Accidents and incidents of ill health which result in an absence from work of more than three days must be reported on form F2508 or F2508A (all obtainable from The Stationery Office). These documents are held in the company office or by the senior company representative on site who may designate a responsible person to receive accident reports and make the necessary entries. Staff must be made aware of the requirement to report all accidents at induction. Where the company are sub-contractors all accidents must be reported to the principal contractor and recorded in his official accident book. The senior representative should make this report on site.

Procedure

  1. Injured person or the first-aider to report accident to designated person giving all relevant details.
  2. Designated person to enter the detail in the accident book taking care to ascertain exactly what occurred.
  3. Injuries which require the first aider to refer the injured person to hospital or to their doctor should be immediately notified to the senior company representative on site and notified to the company office by telephone.
  4. In such cases the senior company representative, accompanied by a representative of the employees, must investigate all the circumstances of how the injury was sustained and a company accident investigation report completed.
  5. The findings of the investigation will be examined by the senior company representative and the chief executive with the objective of identifying measures to avoid a repetition.
  6. These control measures will be introduced after consultation by the senior representative with staff on site.
  7. Injuries or incidents at work leading to ill health which result in an absence from work of more than 3 days must be notified to the Health and Safety Executive using form F2508 or form F2508A (obtainable from The Stationery Office). A copy of this document should be sent to the chief executive immediately.
  8. Steps 3 to 6 of this procedure should have already taken place but if they have not then they must be carried out immediately.
  9. Injuries or incidents leading to ill health which are more serious than those mentioned above (including injuries leading to death) must be notified to the HSE immediately by the quickest possible means (i.e. by telephone). This call must be followed by a written report on form F2508 or F2508A within seven days. (injuries specified as being reportable in this way are detailed under "other notification"). The chief executive must also be notified as soon as possible.
  10. The accident location should be barriered off pending an investigation into the circumstances of the incident, which led to the injuries detailed at 9 above, by the company senior representative accompanied by a representative of the staff. This investigation should include statements from all witnesses and any plant or equipment involved in the incident should not be touched nor moved until the investigation has been concluded.
  11. The investigators detailed in 10 above will discuss their findings with the chief executive to identify measures needed to avoid a repetition. These measures will be introduced as soon as possible after consultation with the construction workers.

Other Notification to HSE

  1. Fracture of the skull, spine or pelvis.
  2. Fracture of any bone in the arm or wrist but not in the hand and any bone in the leg or ankle but not in the foot.
  3. The amputation of a hand or foot or a finger, thumb or toe providing the bone or joint is completely severed.
  4. The loss of an eye or a penetrating injury to an eye, or a hot metal or chemical burn to an eye.
  5. Injury requiring immediate medical attention or loss of consciousness resulting from an electric shock from any electrical circuit or equipment.
  6. Loss of consciousness resulting from asphyxia or exposure to harmful substances including biological agents.
  7. Decompression sickness requiring immediate medical attention.
  8. Acute illness requiring medical treatment or loss of consciousness resulting from the absorption of any substance by inhalation, ingestion or absorption through the skin.
  9. Acute illness requiring medical treatment where there is reason to believe that this resulted from exposure to a biological agent or infected material.
  10. Any other injury which results in the injured person being admitted into hospital for more than 24 hours.