Work accidents: what to do if you have an accident in the workplace

There are a number of steps you should take following an accident at work. Below is a basic, 5-step checklist to help you to make sure that you gain any assistance you are entitled to following a work accident, and to reduce the likelihood of another similar accident happening in your workplace.

1) Record your injury in the accident book

All employers, other than very small companies, are required to keep an accident book. As an employee, it is in your interest to record any work injury in this book, as it can serve as evidence if you need to make a work accident claim at a later date. The accident book also enables your employer to keep track of problems and to make any changes necessary to prevent future incidents.

2) Make sure serious accidents are reported to the HSE

If an employee suffers a serious injury at work, their employer is required to report it to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The type of incidents that should be reported include major injuries like broken arms and ribs, as well as any other injury which prevents an employee from doing their normal work for over three days.

The responsibility for reporting the injury rests with your employer, but if you have suffered a serious injury it is best to make sure this has been done.

3) Find out about your rights to accident pay

Your contract or written statement of employment will contain information about sick pay or accident pay. Usually, employees are entitled to statutory sick pay for any time off work due to an accident or sickness. However, your employer may have a scheme for paying extra, or may decide to pay more, according to the nature of the injury you have sustained.

4) Address any health and safety issues

If there is a persistent health and safety issue at work which led to your accident, it is important to make sure it is rectified so that the same thing will not happen to somebody else. Point out any health and safety issues to your employer, or to your employee safety representative. If problems are still not dealt with, you should call the HSE Infoline.

5) Consider making a work accident claim

If you have been injured at work and it wasn’t your fault, it is a good idea to initiate a work accident claim as soon as possible, and it must be within three years of the incident (there are some exceptions to this, such as asbestos poisoning).

You will need a personal injury lawyer to represent you. Personal injury claims can be made through specialist solicitors on a ‘no win, no fee’ basis, meaning that if you lose the case, you will not have to pay any money.

Your employer will be insured against compensation claims, meaning that, if they lose, it is their insurer who will pay out your compensation. It is against the law for your employer to sack you because of a personal injury claim.