Unreported accidents could cost lives

Leading health and safety consultants, Perry Scott Nash (PSN), are warning that unreported accidents in the workplace could lead to serious injury or the loss of life.

According to a report by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), last year there were 200,000 cases of self-reported injuries leading to absence from work for more than 3 days, with fatal injuries numbering 171 cases.

As much as the headlines figures are cause for concern, Janet Cox of PSN, says it’s the underlying issues that we need to focus on: "One of the great tragedies of accidents in the workplace is the ability to have avoided them. Rarely are accidents unavoidable and in a large number of cases, they’ve occurred because employers have failed to either train staff correctly, or worse still, have ignored the warning signs. These warning signs can come in various forms, however it’s important to realise that often serious accidents are preceded with similar ones on a lesser scale meaning that the analysis of reported accidents and the insistence to ensure that all accidents are reported can save lives. Get the reporting of accidents right and instantly you have a detailed system that should, if correctly implemented, act as an early warning system to avoid more serious accidents. Said Cox

Cox added: "Accidents happen – fact. It’s what we do to limit them, avoid them and learn from them that separates the good employers from the bad."

Top Tips:

1. Review your accident reporting procedure.

2. Ensure the data is analysed and acted upon.

3. Remind staff on the importance of reporting accidents, no matter how trivial in their eyes.