Frequently Asked Question 

2. Specified Injuries to Workers

• fractures, other than to fingers, thumbs and toes
• amputations (of an arm, hand, finger, thumb, leg, foot or toe)
• any injury likely to lead to permanent loss of sight or reduction in sight
• any crush injury to the head or torso causing damage to the brain or internal organs
• serious burns (including scalding) which:
  • covers more than 10% of the body
  • causes significant damage to the eyes, respiratory system or other vital organs
• any scalping requiring hospital treatment
• any loss of consciousness caused by head injury or asphyxia
• any other injury arising from working in an enclosed space which:
  • leads to hypothermia or heat-induced illness
  • requires resuscitation or admittance to hospital for more than 24 hours

More details on Specified Injuries can be found on the HSE website.

3. A Work-Related Over-7-day Incapacitation Injury

With any accident at work, it’s important to have a system of reporting accidents so that you have early warning of accidents that result in lost time. This will help identify accidents that result in employees being away from work, or unable to perform their normal work duties, for more than seven consecutive days as the result of their injury. This seven-day period does not include the day of the accident but does include weekends and rest days. The report must be made within 15 days of the accident.

4. A Work-Related 3-day Work Incapacitation Injury

Accidents must be recorded, but not reported where they result in a worker being incapacitated for more than three consecutive days. If you are an employer, you must keep an accident book under the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1979, and that record will be enough. The requirement to report all accidents and record them in an accident book is given by the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1979 under Regulations 24 and 25 and not RIDDOR as some believe.

5. A Work-Related Disease (Occupational Disease)

Employers must report diagnoses (by a medical practitioner) of certain occupational diseases, where these are likely to have been caused or made worse by their work

• carpal tunnel syndrome;
• severe cramp of the hand or forearm;
• occupational dermatitis;
• hand-arm vibration syndrome;
• occupational asthma;
• tendonitis or tenosynovitis of the hand or forearm;
• any occupational cancer;
• any disease attributed to an occupational exposure to a biological agent.

Further guidance on occupational diseases is available on the HSE website.

6. A Work-Related Dangerous Occurrence

Dangerous occurrences are certain, specified near-miss events. Typically, they are serious near misses which, if persons were near involved would lead to fatalities or specified injuries to one or more persons. There are 27 Categories of Dangerous Occurrences (the specific details of each are given in the link) that are relevant to most workplaces, for example:

• the collapse, overturning or failure of load-bearing parts of lifts and lifting equipment;
• plant or equipment coming into contact with overhead power lines;
• the accidental release of any substance which could cause injury to any person;
• electrical incidents causing fire or explosion
• failure of pressure systems (specified circumstances and parameters)
• and more

Further guidance on these 27 Categories of Dangerous Occurrences is available on the HSE website.

See also How to Report an Accident at Work