Accidents & Incidents – what to do and free downloads…

It is vital that your workplace has very clear and well communicated procedures that people should follow in the event of an accident or incident that occurs at work. It might be a personal injury or damage to machinery or equipment or even a disaster such as a flood or a bomb hoax.

In this brief article we will concentrate on what you should do when an employee is injured at work. Every workplace should have completed a first aid needs risk assessment that clearly identifies the types of accidents and incidents that are likely to occur. It is then essential that the necessary emergency arrangements are made to enable staff to effectively deal with any situation that actually occurs, you should ensure that you have a sufficient number of trained first aiders and have provided adequate first aid equipment that is readily available when required.

The first thing to do when an accident or incident occurs is to make the area safe and summon first aid assistance immediately, someone should also call an ambulance if required. Once any casualties have been dealt with and have received the required assistance then it is important to notify Management and/or next of kin if necessary. The scene of the accident should be preserved to enable an investigation to take place. Take photographs of the area and gather witness statements if possible. A full investigation is required to find out the root cause of the accident and enable recommendations to be made to improve safety and prevent similar accidents happening again in the future.

A record of the accident should be made in the accident book, ensuring that all relevant details are carefully recorded and if necessary the accident should be reported to the Health and Safety Executive where the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations apply.

We have produced a simple toolbox talk on?Accidents and Incidents?that you can download and use in your workplace to brief your staff on what they should do if an accident or incident occurs at work. There is also an?Accidents and Incidents – Toolbox Talk Record of Attendance?form where you can record the names of the staff you brief.

If you would like to discuss accidents and incidents or would like us to assist you with First Aid Needs Risk Assessments or training then please?CONTACT US?for a no obligation discussion of your needs.