Reporting an accident
Last updated February 2007
If you have an accident at work, you should tell your employer or someone else in authority at once, even if the accident does not seem serious at the time.
Most employers have an accident book. You should record the details of the accident in the book as soon as you can. If there is no accident book, you can tell your employer about the accident by word of mouth or by letter. You must tell them:
- your name and address
- your job
- the cause and nature of your injury
- the date, time and place of the accident.
If you cannot report the accident yourself, you should ask someone else to do it for you.
If you do not report the accident straight away, it may be more difficult for you to claim for it later.
You can apply
for a decision that your accident is an industrial accident.
This is not a claim for benefit, but may help if you decide to claim benefit
in the future because of your accident. Ask your nearest Regional
Jobcentre Plus Disablement Benefit office for an application form (241KB)
.
If you are in a trade union, your union representative may be able to help
with your application.
For more information contact your nearest Regional Jobcentre Plus Disablement Benefit Office