Accident investigation and RIDDOR support

Why investigate properly?

A good investigation does more than record what happened. It finds the underlying and root causes, such as gaps in planning, training, supervision or maintenance, so you can fix the problem rather than the symptom. It also shows insurers and regulators that you've taken the incident seriously and acted on it.

Near misses deserve attention too. They're free lessons: the same causes, without the injury.

RIDDOR in brief

Under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR), employers and people in control of premises must report certain incidents to the HSE, including:

• work-related deaths
• specified injuries to workers, such as most fractures, amputations and serious burns
• injuries that keep a worker off normal duties for more than seven consecutive days (to be reported within 15 days of the accident)
• certain occupational diseases
• specified dangerous occurrences (near misses with serious potential)
• work-related accidents where a member of the public is taken directly to hospital for treatment

You must also keep a record of injuries that keep a worker off normal duties for more than three days. Not sure whether something is reportable? Ask us. It's one of the most common questions we help with.

How we investigate

1. Immediate advice on making the area safe, preserving evidence and your reporting duties.
2. Evidence gathering: the scene, photographs, equipment, risk assessments, training and maintenance records.
3. Witness accounts gathered fairly and consistently.
4. Root cause analysis following recognised good practice, including the HSE's guidance on investigating accidents and incidents.
5. A clear report with practical recommendations, and help putting them in place.

Support with insurers and regulators

We can help you prepare for and respond to enquiries from your insurer, the HSE or the local authority, so you can show what happened and what you've done about it. We're health and safety consultants, not solicitors. If you need legal advice, we'll say so.