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How do I know if an accident should be reported?

Accidents to pupils

Many accidents in the workplace go unreported.

Many accidents in the workplace go unreported. Educational establishments are no exception. Members are advised to check that their employer has a report mechanism to record accidents in the workplace. As a general rule members should record all accidents that occur at work.

Under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR) some accidents that occur in schools or during educational activities elsewhere, must be reported to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the body responsible for enforcing health and safety law.

If employees or self employed persons working on premises suffer injury, accidents must be reported to the HSE if they: prevent the injured person from continuing at his/her normal work for more than three consecutive days, (excluding the day of the accident), or result in death or major injury.  

Major injuries include:

  • fractures, except to fingers, thumbs or toes 
  • amputation 
  • dislocation of the shoulder, hip, knee or spine  
  • temporary or permanent loss of sight  
  • a penetrating injury/chemical/hot metal burn to the eye  
  • electric shock or electrical burn resulting in unconsciousness or requiring resuscitation or admittance to hospital for more than 24 hours  
  • loss of consciousness caused by asphyxia, or exposure to harmful substances or biological agents  
  • acute illness requiring medical treatment caused by exposure to a biological agent or its toxins or infected material  
  • any other injury which results in admittance to hospital for more than 24 hours, hypothermia, heat induced illness, unconsciousness or the need for resuscitation.      

Accidents to employees are work-related if they are attributable to:

  • work organisation (eg the supervision of a school trip)  
  • the condition of the premises 
  • plant or substances (eg machinery, experiments, etc)  
  • acts of physical violence to employees (not pupils).     

As far as pupils and other people who are not at work (eg parents) are concerned, an accident must be reported if the person involved is killed or taken to hospital and the accident arises in connection with work.

Employers are responsible for reporting accidents to the HSE. 

In practice, schools tend to nominate a 'responsible person' (usually the headteacher or principal) to report accidents to the HSE. Fatal accidents, major injuries and dangerous occurrences must be reported without delay (eg by telephone). Within the next 10 days this should be followed up by a report in writing. Records must be kept for three years on form F2508. 

Injuries reportable to the HSE or the LA under RIDDOR

  • Injured person: pupils, students and visitors (non-employees) and employees (all staff, including temporary, agency and contractors)

  • Nature of injury: fatality; non-employee taken directly to hospital (whether by ambulance, car or any means); major injuries (broken bones, dislocations, loss of consciousness); injury that requires more than three days of absence from the normal work activity.    

What about near misses? These are incidents, which have a potential for harm, but produce no injury. For example:

  • work organisation (eg the supervision of a school trip) 
  • the condition of the premises  
  • plant or substances (eg machinery, experiments, etc)  
  • acts of physical violence to employees (not pupils) 
  • a contractor’s tool falling from a height narrowly missing a staff member or pupil.  

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Research shows that an injury accident is often preceded by several near misses.
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Research shows that an injury/accident is often preceded by several near misses. While near misses are not reportable to the HSE under RIDDOR, ATL strongly advises that schools record near misses. Their health and safety committees when monitoring accidents should take near misses into account.

Reporting accidents and incidents

Schools need to ensure that accidents and incidents are reported promptly and accurately. 

ATL advises schools to retain a record of an incident or accident involving a pupil for 15–20 years. A parent or guardian of a pupil can commence legal proceedings within three years of the date of the incident or accident.

Alternatively, the pupil can do so within three years of his or her 18th birthday. As a consequence, if you are present or involved in the incident or accident, you   could be asked to recall events that occurred many years previously. You are therefore advised to retain a copy of any report you give to your employers relating to an incident or accident involving a pupil.  

All injuries should be recorded in a suitable book. In addition, the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR) require some events to be reported.

Reporting an incident

All incidents / accidents can be reported to a national call centre rather than direct to the enforcing authority. This can be done in a number of ways: 

by post: The Incident Contact Centre, Caerphilly Business Park, Caerphilly CF83 3GG
by telephone: 0845 300 9923 
by fax: 0845 300 9924
by email: riddor@natbrit.com 
on the Internet: www.riddor.gov.uk or via the HSE website www.hse.gov.uk.

Useful resources

The Health and Safety Executive’s leaflet Incident reporting in schools on this topic gives invaluable advice on reporting accidents and incidents. The leaflet confirms that a school must report an incident or accident occurring on or off site, which results in a pupil being taken to hospital.

The Health and Safety Executive’s Educational Information Sheet: Incident reporting in schools (accidents, diseases and dangerous occurrences) can be accessed from the HSE website.

Help and support

For further advice on this issue, ATL members can speak to their school rep, their branch secretary or their regional official. They can also call the London (020 7930 6441), Cardiff (029 2046 5000), Belfast (028 9078 2020) or Edinburgh (0131 272 2748) offices or email info@atl.org.uk

For out of hours enquiries, call the out of office hours helpline on 020 7782 1612 (Monday-Friday, 5-8pm during term time).

If you are not a member, join now.

Further information

Useful websites