If you get injured in an accident at work, the onus is on your employer to record the accident details in the company’s accident book. A business with more than ten employees must keep an accident book and record any workplace accidents in it. Most companies of whatever size will usually have one anyway. The specific details to be registered are:

  1. The name of the person injured
  2. The name of the person who reported the accident
  3. Time, date and where the accident happened.
  4. Details of how the accident happened.
  5. Nature of the injuries sustained

However, whilst the requirement is for your employer to record the accident details, you need to bring the incident to their attention in the first place.

Whilst your initial concerns following an accident must always focus on the injuries that you have suffered and getting them attended to by a medic, it is incumbent on you to report the accident yourself at the first available opportunity (or to get someone else to do this).

Be aware that some companies have policies and procedures in place in the company staff handbook, making it compulsory for you to report the accident.

Keep a note of the person to whom you reported the accident and when. Check out who else might have seen the accident and keep a note of their names if anyone did.

Particular types of serious accidents at work have to be reported by law to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE)