HS Easy practical guide
Free Accident & Incident Investigation Pack
Download a free 15-page Great Britain accident and incident investigation pack for England, Scotland and Wales, with printable A4 forms, statements, evidence prompts, cause analysis, corrective actions and RIDDOR review space.
The short answer
A free 15-page Great Britain accident investigation pack for England, Scotland and Wales: record accidents, incidents and near misses, collect proportionate evidence, capture statements, analyse causes, assign corrective actions and record the RIDDOR review without assuming every event is reportable.
This free accident investigation pack gives Great Britain workplaces a practical way to record an accident, incident, near miss or personal injury and follow it through to review. It is designed for England, Scotland and Wales and includes printable A4 forms, statements, an investigation checklist and corrective-action prompts.
What the accident investigation pack includes
The 15-page pack starts with guidance, a quick-start process and a RIDDOR reporting summary, then provides printable forms on pages 7–15. Use the forms to create a consistent record for an accident, incident, near miss or personal injury.
- Accident, incident, near-miss and personal-injury report forms
- Investigation checklist and incident review page
- Injured-person, witness and first-aider statement templates
Make people safe before completing the form
The first priority is care and control, not paperwork. Provide appropriate first aid or medical attention, make the area safe, isolate equipment or segregate the area where needed, and follow your emergency and escalation procedures before documenting what happened.
- Deal with immediate danger and further exposure
- Preserve relevant scene information where appropriate
- Start the record as soon as reasonably practicable
Capture facts and collect proportionate evidence
Record the date, time, exact location, people involved, task, sequence, conditions, injury or potential injury, treatment and immediate actions. Keep observations separate from assumptions. The checklist prompts photographs, equipment or PPE records, CCTV where available, training and inspection records, and risk-assessment review.
- Record witness names and signed, dated statements
- Include a negative witness statement when someone saw or heard nothing
- Keep personal and health information secure and access-controlled
Use statements carefully and respect privacy
The pack includes injured-person, witness and first-aider statement pages to capture first-hand accounts. Injury photographs should only be taken where necessary, proportionate and permitted by workplace policy; explain the purpose, obtain appropriate agreement and store images securely.
- Ask for the person’s account in their own words
- Do not record unnecessary medical details
- Note who completed, signed and dated each statement
Look for immediate, underlying and root causes
A useful incident investigation asks why the event was possible, not only what went wrong at the point of contact. Use the pack’s cause-analysis prompts and a method such as the 5 Whys to explore failed or missing controls, then turn findings into actions with an owner, due date and completion check.
- Separate immediate, underlying and root causes
- Prefer stronger controls over reminders to take more care
- Check that completed actions reduce the relevant risk
Record the RIDDOR review without assuming the outcome
The pack includes a RIDDOR summary and space to record whether a report was submitted, the date and reference. It does not decide reportability. Check the current HSE criteria, the relevant enforcing authority and competent advice for the facts of the event, including dangerous occurrences, specified injuries, fatalities and other categories.
- Keep factual record-keeping separate from the legal decision
- Record the decision, reasoning, date and reference where applicable
- Review current official guidance before acting
Key takeaways
Use the printable forms as part of a wider process: care for people, secure the scene, establish facts, collect proportionate evidence, analyse causes, assign corrective actions and review whether controls improved. The forms are on pages 7–15. This Great Britain edition covers England, Scotland and Wales.
Frequently asked questions
Who is this accident investigation pack for?
It is for Great Britain workplaces in England, Scotland and Wales. Adapt it to your own procedures, risks, privacy controls and competent-person arrangements.
Can I use the pack for a near miss?
Yes. A near miss can reveal a failed control or unsafe condition even when nobody was injured. Record the facts and follow through on proportionate corrective action.
What is included in the 15-page PDF?
It includes guidance, a quick-start guide, RIDDOR review information, accident and incident forms, a checklist, injured-person, witness and first-aider statements, cause analysis, corrective actions and closure fields.
Does the pack decide whether an event is reportable under RIDDOR?
No. It helps organise facts and record a review. Reportability depends on the specific criteria and circumstances, so check current HSE guidance, the relevant enforcing authority and competent advice.
How should injury photographs be handled?
Only take them where necessary, proportionate and permitted by workplace policy. Explain the purpose, obtain appropriate agreement and store them securely with restricted access.
Can I use this outside Great Britain?
This edition is written for England, Scotland and Wales. Other jurisdictions may use different reporting rules and forms, so obtain appropriate local guidance before relying on it elsewhere.
Related HS Easy resources
Continue with HS Easy
HS Easy connects structured investigations with TIFR, LTIFR and related incident KPIs.
Download the printable PDF guide · Download the 15-page Investigation Pack
General information only. Review current HSE guidance, your own procedures and the conditions at your workplace.