Construction Health & Safety News, Advice and Information from PP Construction Safety

Regulations designed to “clarify and simplify” injury etc reporting to regulator

A draft guide to the forthcoming Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulsations 2013 has been published (09/07) by HSE .

The proposed changes are said to “clarify and simplify the reporting requirements” whilst ensuring that the data collected “gives an accurate and useful picture of workplace incidents”. The main changes will be in the following areas:

• Major injuries – classification replaced with a shorter list of ‘specified injuries';
• Diseases – reduced to 8 eight categories of reportable work-related illness; and
• Dangerous ccurrences – fewer types required to be reported.

The changes will not alter the current ways to report an incident at work and the criteria that determine whether an incident should be investigated will remain the same.

The guidance has been published to “allow businesses time to familiarise themselves with the changes” which should be implemented in October 2013 but remain subject to Parliamentary approval.

When is an injury the result of a work related accident?

HSE highlight that to be reportable an injury must be “as a result of a work related accident”. The guide goes on to provide the following advice on key issues the duty holder should consider in deciding if an accident is ‘work related':

“When deciding if the accident that led to the death or injury is work-related, the key issues to consider are whether the accident was related to:

• the way in which the work was carried out;
• any machinery, plant, substances or equipment used for work; and
• the condition of the site or premises where the accident happened.

If any of the above factors were related to the cause of the accident, then it is likely that a reportable injury will need to be reported to the enforcing authority. If none of the above factors are satisfied, it is likely that you will not be required to send a report.”

UCATT warn changes downgrade reporting of workplace accidents

Construction union UCATT has warned that the proposed changes “will lead to a further downgrading in safety reporting”.

Steve Murphy, General Secretary of UCATT, said:

“The reduction in the requirement to report major injuries is dangerous. Many of these type of injury are potentially life changing for those involved. If companies no longer have to report them then they are less likely to take preventive measures to stop them re-occurring.

The proposals also downgrade the need to report injuries sustained by members of the public unless “they are taken from the scene of the accident to hospital for treatment for that injury” and even this is not required if they are taken to hospital as a precaution.

The requirement to report dangerous occurrences which don’t result in an accident (near misses) has also been reduced. There are now 21 types of dangerous occurrences which should be reported, previously there were 27 types of incident where reporting was required.

These changes are a further downgrading of the reporting of workplace accidents. The Government is determined to ensure that the reporting of accidents is so weak that they become meaningless. The Government says it wants to simplify accident reporting for employers, it is clear they don’t care about the consequences it has for workers.”

This article was posted on 10th July 2013