Accident investigation form

Carrying out accident investigations should provide you with a greater understanding their causes and help to prevent recurrences.

How to use the form

Our Accident Investigation Form gives a methodical, structured approach to information gathering, collation and analysis. The findings of the investigation should form the basis of an action plan to prevent a recurrence of the accident and for improving your overall management of the risks from your work activities. Your findings will also point to areas of your risk assessments that may need to be reviewed.

When to use the form

Not all accidents need an in-depth investigation, but it’s a useful exercise where there has been a serious injury, or the accident had the potential to cause a serious injury.

Whilst there’s no specific legal duty to investigate accidents, it’s recognised as good practice. Where you consider that an accident is likely to result in a claim for personal damages, then your insurers will almost certainly expect you to have carried out such an investigation and will want to see a copy. Where accidents are reportable to the HSE, then a suitably completed accident investigation report, which identifies the action that you have taken to prevent a recurrence may well help in mitigating the effect of any enforcement action.