Reporting accidents and ill health at work is a legal requirement.

The enforcing authorities use the information to see the big picture of where injuries, ill health and accidental losses are occurring, and to advise on preventative action.

What to report

You need to report:

• deaths
• major injuries
• accidents resulting in over three-days of injury
• diseases
• dangerous occurrences
• gas incidents.

Who to report to

All accidents, diseases and dangerous occurrences must be reported to the Incident Contact Centre.

What happens next

The Incident Contact Centre will then forward details of the incident to the relevant enforcing authority – either your local authority or the Health and Safety Executive, depending on the type of business you run.

If you are found to have been negligent, or to be deliberately flouting health and safety law, the authorities have the power to take serious enforcement action.

Read the enforcement policy (environmental health and trading standards)