The accident book for pubs, restaurants and hotels: who must have one, what to record, the GDPR-compliant format, what to report to the HSE under RIDDOR and how long to keep it
How to keep an accident book in a hospitality business: the legal requirement, what every entry must record, the tear-out format that satisfies data protection, near misses, the RIDDOR reportable injuries and the 10 and 15 day deadlines, and retention.
Every employer with ten or more employees must keep an accident book under the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1979, and every employer of any size needs a record of workplace injuries to meet the duty to report under RIDDOR and to defend a claim. In a kitchen the accident book fills with burns, cuts and slips, and the way it is kept decides whether those entries help you or hurt you: a book with the right details shows a business that responds to injuries and fixes causes, and a book with gaps or missing weeks shows the opposite.
This guide covers the legal position, what an entry needs, the format the data protection rules require, recording near misses, the injuries that must be reported to the HSE under RIDDOR and by when, and how the accident book feeds the risk assessment. The free accident and incident report form on this site is the entry sheet.
7 steps to complete
Get a compliant book or form
The HSE publishes an accident book (BI 510) with tear-out pages, and the reason for the tear-out matters: each entry contains personal data about the injured person, and other people must not be able to read it. A bound notebook where every entry is visible to whoever opens it breaches data protection. Use the HSE book, a form per incident filed securely, or a digital record with access controls. Keep it where staff can reach it on every shift, and tell them where it is at induction.
Record every injury, however minor
A burn treated with cold water and a plaster still goes in the book. Each entry needs the injured person's name, address and occupation; the date and time of the accident; where it happened; how it happened, in plain description; the injury; who reported it and their signature; and the date of the entry. Add what first aid was given and by whom, and whether the person went to hospital or off work. Write it on the day; an entry made a week later carries less weight and misses details.
Record near misses and dangerous occurrences too
A slip with no fall, a pan of oil that nearly tipped, a gas smell in the cellar: these are the accidents that have not happened yet. Record them alongside injuries, with a clear marker, because they are the cheapest way to find a hazard before it costs someone a burn. Some businesses keep a separate near miss log; either way, review them with the accident entries.
Decide whether RIDDOR applies
The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 require the employer to report certain incidents to the HSE. For employees: deaths; specified injuries such as fractures other than to fingers, thumbs and toes, amputations, serious burns covering more than 10% of the body or damaging the eyes or airways, loss of consciousness from a head injury or asphyxia, and any injury requiring hospital admission for more than 24 hours; and any injury that leaves the worker unable to do their normal work for more than seven consecutive days, not counting the day of the accident. For members of the public: deaths and injuries taken directly from the scene to hospital for treatment. Dangerous occurrences such as a gas escape or the collapse of a canopy are reportable even if nobody is hurt.
Report on time
Deaths, specified injuries and dangerous occurrences must be reported without delay, and the written report submitted within 10 days. Over-seven-day injuries must be reported within 15 days of the accident. Reports go through the HSE online forms; deaths and specified injuries can also be phoned in. Keep a copy of the report with the accident book entry. Occupational diseases such as dermatitis from cleaning chemicals are also reportable when a doctor diagnoses them as work-related.
Investigate, fix and update the risk assessment
Every entry should end with what was done: the wet floor sign that was missing, the fryer guard that was not fitted, the knife that should not have been in the sink. Write the action against the entry, give it an owner, and update the relevant risk assessment. An accident book that shows the same injury three times with no change in controls is the document a claimant's solicitor hopes to find.
Keep records for at least three years
Accident book entries must be kept for three years from the date of entry; RIDDOR reports the same. Personal injury claims can be brought within three years of the injury, and an insurer will ask for the entry and the investigation. Store completed pages or forms securely, retrievable by date, and keep the digital record backed up.
Tips for success
Common mistakes to avoid
Frequently asked questions
Is an accident book a legal requirement?
Yes for employers with ten or more employees, under the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1979. Smaller employers still need a record of injuries to meet RIDDOR and to defend claims, so in practice every business keeps one.
What must be reported under RIDDOR in a restaurant?
Deaths, specified injuries such as fractures, amputations and serious burns, injuries keeping an employee off normal work for more than seven days, members of the public taken from the scene to hospital, certain occupational diseases and dangerous occurrences such as gas escapes.
How long do I have to report a RIDDOR incident?
Deaths, specified injuries and dangerous occurrences without delay and in writing within 10 days. Over-seven-day injuries within 15 days of the accident.
How long should accident records be kept?
At least three years from the date of the entry. Claims can be brought for three years and insurers will ask for the record.
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