Incident (Accident) Management

Any unplanned event that has resulted in, or could result in, injury or ill health to people, damage to or loss of property, plant or materials. This would apply to all people on hospital property including patients, staff and visitors. This definition takes account of the usual accident where personal injury results, and of near miss reporting where an incident could have resulted in injury and includes any act of non-consensual physical violence or verbal abuse.

As a result of chance or intervention the outcome could have lead to harm but on this occasion it did not. Reporting a near miss is just as important as reporting an actual incident. Near misses indicate difficulties that may be due to incorrect or missing procedures being in place. It is important that these are recorded. Although staff may only see an isolated incident within their area, this may have wider implications.

If you wish to report an incident, please click here. (Only available when logged into NHSGGC)

Incidents fall into the following categories:

• Death
• Specified injury
• 8 stated categories of Occupational Diseases
• A dangerous occurrence
• over 7 day injury to an employee
• Death or major injury to a person not at work.

The list of ‘specified injuries’ in RIDDOR 2013 includes:

• 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, which leads to hypothermia, heat-induced illness or requires resuscitation or admittance to hospital for more than 24 hours.

This includes:

• 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.

NB Where an employee who sustains a high risk needlestick injury subsequently sero-converts to a reportable disease, a RIDDOR Reportable Disease report will require to be submitted in addition to the report of the Dangerous Occurrence

These are certain, specified ‘near-miss’ events (incidents with the potential to cause harm.) Not all such events require reporting. There are 27 categories of 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
• Explosions or fires causing work to be stopped for more than 24 hours
• An employee is injured by a sharp known to be contaminated with a blood borne virus.

Only when they occur at work – over seven day injuries, not counting the day of the accident but including weekends and rest-days, which result in an employee being away from work or unable to do their normal duties for more than seven days (including non-working days).

If the accident occurred at a hospital, the report only needs to be made if the injury is a ‘specified injury’ (see above).