In order to comply with the Data Protection Act 1998, personal details entered in accident books must now be kept confidential.
The correct design of accident book was introduced after 31st December 2003, in which you have a perforated line as to remove confidential information. The books are designed to facilitate removal and storage of personal information to ensure confidentiality. Earlier editions of this book that do not have this facility may not be used.
Employers must keep a record of all injuries that happen on your premises, or to employees working elsewhere on your behalf.
An up to date accident book must be kept in an easily accessible place. However all slips containing personal information should be detached and kept in safe storage (e.g. in a lockable filing cabinet).
The Accident Book and records must be stored in a safe place for 3 years.
Why should I care about the work accident book, how does it help in the event of an accident at work?
An accident at work book has two main purposes :-
To record the details of an accident, to explain your time off work and to support your claim for compensation;
- To record a list of accident types so that your employer can make changes to systems or processes to reduce these types of accidents.
- The work accident book forms a valuable source of evidence that can be used in a legal claim to prove that you are entitled to work accident compensation. It is also useful to the employer to help them prevent further accidents.
Can I claim for an accident at work without completing the entry in the accident book?
If you have been injured as a result of an accident at work and do not think the accident report book was filled in at the time of the accident, do not worry. The needs of attending to your injuries can mean that completion of the accident form gets overlooked.
Although this is likely to be raised as an issue by the employer’s insurance company, whom you are making the claim against, this issue is in no way insurmountable. Simply request that it is done so as soon as you are able to contact your employer
