Incident and Emergency Management

The Management of Incidents

Policy

We will provide sufficient numbers of qualified first aiders or appointed persons as appropriate to our undertaking.  We will also provide adequate first aid facilities for the treatment of any injuries sustained by our employees.  We will instigate and maintain procedures to enable the reporting and recording of incidents at work. All incidents will be investigated to determine causation. Wherever possible, improvements will be implemented to prevent a recurrence of such incidents.

For the purposes of this policy, incidents include all the following definitions:

Accident 

An accident is an undesired event that results in an injury to a person or damage to property.  

Dangerous Occurrence

Dangerous occurrences are specified RIDDOR reportable near-miss events.

Occupational Disease

Certain diseases contracted by employees, where the specified disease occurs to an individual engaged in the specified work activity.

Near Miss

A near miss is an event which could have resulted in injury or damage but by chance did not.  

Arrangements for the Management of Incidents

The Incident Co-ordinator will ensure that:

1.1 There are sufficient numbers of trained first aiders or appointed persons within the company.

1.2 Adequate first aid equipment and facilities are provided and maintained at all our places of work.

1.3 Employees are provided with information regarding the provision of first aid, and the location of first aid equipment and facilities.

1.4 An accident book is available for the recording of injuries, and that a procedure is in place to ensure the confidentiality of such records.

1.5 A procedure is in place to enable the reporting of all incidents.

1.6 All incidents are investigated to identify causation and to enable remedial action to be taken

1.7 Incident statistics are maintained to identify trends.

Guidance and Records

First aid provision

Adequate and appropriate first-aid equipment and assistance is required in order that employees can be given immediate help if they are injured or taken ill at work.  It is important to remember that injuries and illness can happen at any time and that first aid provision needs to be available whenever people are at work. It doesn’t matter whether the injury or illness is caused by the work they do or not, it is important to give them immediate attention and call an ambulance in serious cases.

Where the workplace has low level hazards the minimum provision for first aid is:

• A suitably stocked first-aid box
• An appointed person to take charge of first-aid arrangements
• Information for employees about first-aid arrangements

First aid assistance

The role of an appointed person involves looking after first-aid equipment and facilities and calling the emergency services when required.  They can also provide emergency cover where a first-aider is absent due to unforeseen circumstances.  Appointed persons do not need first-aid training; although emergency first-aid courses are available. Appointed persons are not necessary where there are an adequate number of first-aiders since the first-aiders take on the duties otherwise held by the appointed persons.

Where first-aiders are provided in the workplace, they should have a valid certificate of competence in either first aid at work (FAW) or emergency first aid at work (EFAW).  EFAW training enables a first-aider to give emergency first aid to someone who is injured or becomes ill while at work.  FAW training includes EFAW and also equips the first-aider to apply first aid to a range of specific injuries and illnesses.  To help keep their basic skills up to date, it is recommended that first aiders undertake annual refresher training.  As a minimum, refresher training is required every three years.

First aid assessment

The numbers of EFAW, FAW and appointed persons required in the workplace will depend on the circumstances of the workplace.  In assessing your needs you should consider:

• The nature of the work, hazards and risks
• The size of the organisation
• The nature of the workforce
• The history of accidents
• The needs of travelling, remote and lone workers
• Work patterns and shift work
• The distribution of the workforce within buildings and over each floor
• The remoteness of the site from emergency medical services
• Employees working on shared or multi-occupied sites
• Annual leave and other absences of first-aiders and appointed persons
• First-aid provision for non-employees.

Where employees work at sites occupied by other employer’s, arrangements should be made with the other site occupants to ensure there is adequate first aid provision and make a written agreement to this effect.

You should decide what cover is needed for annual leave and other planned absences and what cover is needed for unplanned absences.

Your first aid arrangements should make provision for work experience trainees and agency workers.

You have no legal duty to provide first aid for non-employees but the HSE strongly recommends that you include them in your first aid provision.  You should check that your public liability insurance covers this aspect.

Immunisations for some blood borne diseases are available through the NHS and the first aiders and appointed persons should be encouraged to seek such vaccinations.

You have to inform your employees of the first-aid arrangements.  Putting up notices telling staff who the first-aiders or appointed persons are and where the first-aid box is will usually be enough.  You will need to make special arrangements to give first-aid information to employees with reading or language difficulties.

Suggested numbers of first aid personnel

Level of risk	Number of employees	Suggested number of first aid personnel
Low hazard e.g. shops, offices, etc	Less than 25 25-50 More than 50	At least one appointed person At least one EFAW At least one FAW for every 100 employees (or part thereof)
Higher  hazard e.g. light engineering, food processing, warehouses, construction, chemicals, dangerous machinery etc	Less than 5 5-50 More than 50	At least one appointed person At least one EFAW or FAW depending on the type of injuries that might occur. At least one FAW for every 50 employed (or part thereof)

                 

First aid kits 

There is no mandatory list of items to put in a first-aid kit although it is recommended that BSI compliant first aid kits of sizes shown below are used. Ultimately, the decision on what to provide will be influenced by the findings of the first-aid needs assessment.

Low Hazard Workplace

Less than 25 employees – small kit

25 – 100 employees – medium size kit

Over 100 employees – 1 large kit per 100 employees

High Hazard Workplace

Less than 5 employees – small size kit

5 – 25 employees – medium size kit

Over 25 employees – 1 large kit per 25 employees

Tablets and medicines should not be kept in the first-aid kit.  After using the contents of the first aid kit, the items used are to be reported to the Incident Co-ordinator for replenishment.

The Management of Incidents

The chronological order of these events may change slightly according to individual circumstances and the nature and seriousness of the incident.

• Incident occurs
• First aid response
• Incident Co-ordinator and/or line manager informed
• Preserve the scene of the incident where possible
• Any critical remedial measures required to prevent recurrence are implemented immediately
• Details entered into Accident Book and/or Incident Report Form
• Take photographs and measurements
• Obtain statements from the injured person (if practicable), and witnesses
• RIDDOR report if necessary. Inform Alcumus Compliance if the incident is RIDDOR reportable
• Incident Co-ordinator and/or line manager carries out detailed accident investigation procedure and completes ‘Incident Report and Investigation’ form
• Report completed and copies sent to Senior Manager/Director. Copy to insurers and Alcumus Compliance if appropriate
• Review relevant risk assessments and amend as required
• Involve and consult with the workforce
• Recorded data stored confidentially
• Implementation dates for remedial action agreed
• Monitor and review the remedial action.

Why investigate incidents?

Undertaking incident investigation assists in understanding the causes of incidents and thereby improves health and safety management systems and prevents recurrences of similar failures.  It also gathers information to use in accident reports and this information may be required at a later date to resolve civil claims or defend against prosecution.

Incident investigations are to establish facts not opinions.  They are not an attempt to apportion blame.

When investigating and reporting an incident you must be able to recognise the existence of the contributing factors e.g. lack of control, personal failures or mechanical and physical conditions.

Investigation is a process of identifying the direct causes of an incident and analysing the underlying root causes.  Analysis of this information will determine the preventative measures required.  All incidents should be investigated and a report produced.  The detail of the report should be proportionate to the level of risk, not the outcome of the incident.

Incident investigations should determine:

• The immediate cause of the accident.  Where faulty equipment or machinery is involved, these must be left in position (if safe to do so) for inspection
• The underlying root cause.  It is likely that more than one contributing factor will exist
• The necessary corrective action. A manager or supervisor must take immediate corrective action if possible. If it is not within his/her authority he/she must report accordingly
• The system changes which are required to prevent further similar events
• What reviews of existing documentation are required (e.g. risk assessments, training requirements, safe working procedures etc).

Full incident investigation reports should include:

• A summary of what happened
• A description of the workplace including photographs, diagrams, descriptions of plant and machinery such as serial numbers and the work which was being carried out at the time
• Details of witnesses and their statements, including the injured person
• Details of control systems in place prior to the accident such as machinery guards, training etc
• Conclusions regarding why those systems either failed or were inadequate
• Recommendations regarding the steps needed to prevent similar events
• Allocation of specific responsibility to ensure that appropriate measures are taken.

Incident recording and reporting

You must keep a record of:

• any accident, occupational disease or dangerous occurrence which requires reporting under RIDDOR; and
• any other occupational accident causing injuries that result in a worker being away from work or incapacitated for more than three consecutive days (not counting the day of the accident but including any weekends or other rest days). You do not have to report over-three-day injuries, unless the incapacitation period goes on to exceed seven days.

These records must include certain prescribed information and employees must be able to enter a report personally, or have someone do it on their behalf.  Most employers fulfil these requirements by using the standard BI510 accident book.

There is also a requirement to report certain specified injuries, industrial diseases and dangerous occurrences to the enforcing authorities under the RIDDOR regulations.

The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR)

RIDDOR is the law that requires employers, and other people who are in control of work premises, to report and keep records of:

• work-related deaths
• certain specified injuries
• diagnosed cases of occupational diseases; and
• certain ‘dangerous occurrences’.

The reporting responsibilities are complex and it is always worthwhile to seek advice from Alcumus Compliance if you think an injury, disease or dangerous occurrence is reportable, or if you are uncertain.

All reportable incidents must be reported online at https://www.hse.gov.uk/riddor/. The relevant form should be completed and submitted directly to the RIDDOR database.  You will get a copy for your records.

Fatal or specified injuries must be reported without delay.  This can be done online or by calling the Incident Contact Centre on 0845 300 9923 (Opening hours Monday to Friday 8.30 am to 5 pm). This telephone service is for reporting fatal or major injuries only. There is also an out-of hours HSE inspector on duty.

Deaths

All deaths to workers and non-workers, with the exception of suicides, must be reported if they arise from a work-related accident, including an act of physical violence to a worker.

Specified injuries to workers

Specified injuries to be reported include:

• a fracture, other than to fingers, thumbs and toes
• amputation of an arm, hand, finger, thumb, leg, foot or toe
• permanent loss of sight or reduction of sight
• crush injuries leading to internal organ damage
• serious burns (covering more than 10% of the body, or damaging the eyes,
• respiratory system or other vital organs)
• scalpings (separation of skin from the head) which require hospital treatment
• unconsciousness caused by head injury or asphyxia
• any other injury arising from working in an enclosed space, or which leads to hypothermia, heat-induced illness or requires resuscitation or admittance to hospital for more than 24 hours.

Over-seven-day injuries to workers

This is where an employee, or self-employed person, is away from work or unable to perform their normal work duties for more than seven consecutive days (not counting the day of the accident). These must be reported.

Injuries to non-workers

You must report injuries to members of the public or people who are not at work if they are injured through a work-related accident, and are taken from the scene of the accident to hospital for treatment to that injury. Examinations and diagnostic tests do not constitute ‘treatment’ in such circumstances. There is no need to report incidents where people are taken to hospital purely as a precaution when no injury is apparent.

Reportable occupational diseases

Employers and self-employed people must report diagnoses of certain occupational diseases, where these are likely to have been caused or made worse by their work: These diseases include:

• carpal tunnel syndrome
• severe cramp of the hand or forearm
• occupational dermatitis
• hand-arm vibration syndrome
• occupational asthma
• tendonitis or tenosynovitis of the hand or forearm
• any occupational cancer
• any disease attributed to an occupational exposure to a biological agent.      

Reportable dangerous occurrences

Dangerous occurrences are certain, specified near-miss events. Not all such events require reporting. There are 27 categories of reportable dangerous occurrences that are relevant to most workplaces. For example:

• the collapse, overturning or failure of load-bearing parts of lifts and lifting equipment
• plant or equipment coming into contact with overhead power lines
• the accidental release of any substance which could cause injury to any person.

For a full, detailed list, refer to the online guidance at: https://www.hse.gov.uk/riddor/.