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Detailed Accident Records. (accident book legislation)

Detailed accident records should be kept for three main reasons:

Employers will find it useful to use accident data to measure their health and safety performance. Accident data is an important part of the employer's risk assessments, as they should identify types and root causes of accidents. This information is needed to help to decide any necessary mitigation and control measures.

What is the requirement for a workplace accident book?

There is a legal requirement to record information additional to that which can be recorded in the Accident Book:

Accidents suffered by non-employees, for example, customers or other visitors.
Particulars of reportable diseases suffered by employees.
The date on and method by which incidents were reported to the Enforcing Authority.

Particularly, in cases of work-related ill-health, liability claims can be made many years after the initial event.

The Accident Book is a valuable document that organisations can use to record accident information as part of their management of health and safety. Remember, an involved and fully informed workforce is the basis of good health and safety management.

The United Kingdom Accident Book, referred to as BI 510 has been issued by the Health and Safety Executive, and is sponsored by The Department for Work and Pensions. Employers and employees can use this book to record details of work-related injuries for which Social Security benefits could be payable.

The BI 510 Accident Book can be used to record details of injuries that employers must report under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995, and contains guidance on this legislation as well as the Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981.

Safety representatives are legally entitled to see accident records that employers have to keep, this by law. A tick box is included on each page of the Accident Book asking whether the injured person gives his or her consent to the disclosure of the information contained in that record to safety representatives, to enable them to carry out their statutory functions more effectively.

The arrangements to pass this information should be discussed between employers, employees, and or their representatives. The aim should be to make the best possible use of this, and other information to meet health and safety objectives.

The format of the Accident book has been designed to protect the privacy of personal information. Individual record sheets can be removed and stored securely. This will help to keep personal information in confidence.

The Accident Book will help you comply with legal requirements under social security and health and safety legislation, and to share information with safety representatives, taking confidentiality fully into account.

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