Record and report an accident or incident

Keeping records of accidents

You must keep records of any injuries, diseases or dangerous occurrences under the Reporting of Injuries Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR).

You must keep this information at your usual place of business for at least three years.

The information you must keep on accidents includes:

• the date and time of the accident or dangerous occurrence
• if the accident happened to someone at work, their full name and occupation
• the details of the injured person, including full name
• the nature of the injury
• the place where the accident or dangerous occurrence happened

You can keep records in any way you wish, for example:

• keeping copies of report forms in a file
• recording the details on a computer
• maintaining a written log
• using the statutory accident book (BI510)

You must provide an accident book in which employees, or people acting on their behalf, can enter details of accidents leading to injury if you own or occupy:

• a factory, a works or premises where the Factories Act 1961 applies - find out where the Factories Act 1961 applies on the HSE website
• any other premises in which - or around which - you employ ten or more people at a time

Buy a HSE version of the accident book (BI510) at the HSE Bookfinder website.

If you use an accident book, it is recommended that you buy one that complies with the Data Protection Act 1998. See our guide on how to keep the right staff records.

You must produce records or extracts from the records when asked to do so by the relevant enforcing authority. Generally, you must also make the records available to safety representatives and safety committees on request for inspection.

Subjects covered in this guide

• Introduction
• What needs to be reported?
• Who needs to make the report?
• Who to make the report to
• How to report a death or major injury
• How to report an over three-day injury
• How to report a disease
• Keeping records of accidents
• How to report a dangerous occurrence

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