Accident book

Record a workplace accident in two minutes and download a PDF entry for your records. Employers with 10 or more people normally working at the same premises must keep an accident book, and every employer must keep records of RIDDOR-reportable incidents.

Who must keep an accident book?

The Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1979 (regulation 25) require employers who normally employ 10 or more people at the same time on or about the same premises to keep an accident record, on paper or electronically, where employees can record the details of an injury. Each entry must be kept for at least 3 years.

When is an accident RIDDOR reportable?

Deaths and specified injuries to workers (such as most fractures, amputations or serious burns) must be reported to HSE without delay.
Over-seven-day injuries: a worker off normal work for more than 7 consecutive days must be reported within 15 days of the accident.
Over-three-day injuries do not need reporting, but you must keep a record.
Certain occupational diseases and dangerous occurrences are also reportable, as are injuries to members of the public taken from the scene to hospital for treatment.

RIDDOR records must be kept for at least 3 years (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013, regulation 12). An accident book kept under the 1979 Regulations can serve as your record of over-three-day injuries.

Sources: legislation.gov.uk (SI 1979/628 reg. 25; SI 2013/1471 regs. 4 and 12) and HSE RIDDOR guidance, checked October 2026.