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Reporting All Accidents?

Reporting All Accidents?

Added: 14:46 07.05.2008

There is a debate going on where I work as to when an accident should be reported. A colleague blackened his finger nail in an incident at work. The old advice would have been to report is as you never know how the injury, however slight, might become worse with time. My colleague's manager received the accident book report and spoke to him requesting that minor accidents of this type should not be reported in the accident books. Our company owner receives all accident reports and he is outspokenly frustrated at the frequency that 'petty' accidents/incidents are reported. Help ... I am currently writing an accident reporting and investigation procedure, with definitions of when and how to report accidents and incidents, so any advice on the most sensible approach would be appreciated.

paul.morley@hpcplc.co.uk | Post a reply | Report this question as unsuitable


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Re: Reporting All Accidents?

Hi,
I have recently joined acompany where the accidents (minor) were more than near misses. I tried to promote the importance of near misses and already we have had the same amount of near misses reported in 3 months than the whole of last year, which is encouraging. I also make sure that i go back to every person who initiates a form for close off. I think it important that all accidents are reported however slight.

Hope this helps.

wardy | 20:59 19.06.2008| Report this answer as unsuitable

Re: Reporting All Accidents?

Accident and near miss reporting is an important tool to be used in the elimination of the hazards that lead to more serious accidents. However, the reporting of every minor accident can also lead to the workforce becoming too complacent about the process of accident reporting.
In an environment where the workforce are at risk from minor cuts and burns, fabrication & welding for instance, it is not concievable to report every minor accident, but maybe those that require first aid treatment should be reported!

Geoff@pakawaste.co.uk | 08:12 03.06.2008| Report this answer as unsuitable

Re: Reporting All Accidents?

Paul

Further avidence to the necessity of reporting all accidents can be found at;

http://www.hse.gov.uk/costs/costs_of_injury/costs_of_injury.asp

There is an accident pyramid which gives us ratios regarding the relationships between near misses and serious injuries (incorporating everything in between).

Its worth a look if you are thinking of putting something together to convince your owner that reporting of ALL injuries and near misses is a good thing.

Hope this helps

Regards

Gareth

gareth.wood | 14:09 15.05.2008| Report this answer as unsuitable

Re: Reporting All Accidents?

Hi Paul, I think the old advice you talk about is good advice. As you'll know, the best practice trend in accident monitoring is towards reporting near-misses, where, by definition, no one was hurt. If you stop recording injuries, however minor, that's a step in the opposite direction. However much of a pain it may be to the company owner to have to see all the reports, he needs persuading of their value. Ideally, someone should be looking at the records of all the blackened fingers or cuts to see if there's a pattern that could be broken by a toolbox talk to those involved or a change to PPE, possibly heading off a more serious injury that's waiting to happen. I'm sounding preachy now, but I think it's quite a positive thing you've got people willing to flag up small incidents, some businesses struggle to get their workers to do just that.
We did a couple of features recently on accident recording and reporting. The one on recording is at www.healthandsafetyprofessional.co.uk/file/0d66fd3770d1240a0b653dd06bdac84b/know-how-reporting-and-recording-techniques.html

Cheers

Louis

Louis Wustemann | 11:00 09.05.2008| Report this answer as unsuitable