In workplace health and safety (and indeed life) the terms accident and incident are often used interchangeably, but there are important distinctions. Understanding these differences is crucial for employers, safety officers, and anyone responsible for reporting events.

In this article, we explain how to correctly identify whether an event is an accident or an incident, ensuring accurate record-keeping, compliance with regulations such as Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR), and, most importantly, helping you take the right steps to prevent future harm.

What is an accident in the workplace?

An accident in the workplace is an unforeseen event that results in harm or damage. This harm can take many forms, including injury, illness, death, or damage to property. Accidents are generally serious enough to require immediate attention and can have lasting consequences for both the individual affected and the organisation.

Examples of workplace accidents include:

• Falls from height: A leading cause of fatal accidents, particularly in construction and maintenance work.
• Being struck by a moving vehicle: Common in warehouses, logistics centres, and construction sites.
• Being struck by a moving or falling object: For instance, tools falling from scaffolding or equipment malfunctions.
• Slips, trips, and falls: Such as slipping on wet floors or tripping over cables.
• Other incidents: Burns, chemical exposure, or structural collapses can also qualify as accidents.

What is an incident in the workplace?

An incident in the workplace is an unplanned event that does not cause injury or ill health, but still poses a risk or results in damage. Unlike accidents, incidents do not harm people directly — but they are red flags that something has gone wrong and should not be ignored.

Examples of workplace incidents include:

• A spilled liquid on the floor that could cause someone to slip.
• A tool falling from scaffolding but missing workers below.
• A machine malfunction that temporarily halts production without causing injury.
• A fire alarm false activation that disrupts operations.

While no one is harmed during an incident, these events highlight weaknesses in safety systems or behaviours that, if left unaddressed, could easily lead to accidents in the future.

For this reason, incidents should always be reported, recorded, and investigated. Doing so helps employers and employees learn from the event, put corrective actions in place, and reduce the likelihood of more serious incidents or accidents occurring.

Subcategories of workplace incidents – explained

Not all workplace incidents are the same. Some may be minor but highlight potential risks, while others indicate serious flaws that could have resulted in significant harm. Understanding the subcategories of incidents helps organisations respond appropriately and prevent accidents.

1. Near miss

A near miss is an unplanned event that could have caused harm but didn’t, either by chance or quick intervention.

• Example: A worker trips over an exposed cable but regains balance before falling.
• Why it matters: Near misses are often the clearest warning signs that an accident is likely unless corrective measures are taken.

Near misses are internally recordable events, as they can directly inform risk management strategies.

2. Dangerous occurrence

These are serious safety failures or hazardous events that are legally reportable under RIDDOR, even if no one is injured.

• Example: The collapse of scaffolding, the accidental release of a harmful substance, or an electrical explosion.
• Why it matters: Dangerous occurrences usually expose systemic risks in equipment, processes, or controls that demand urgent investigation.

What’s the difference between an accident and an incident in the workplace?

1. Outcome

• Accident: An accident always results in harm — whether that’s injury, illness, death, or damage to property. These are the events everyone wants to avoid but must be prepared to respond to.
• Incident: An incident doesn’t cause harm but exposes a weakness, hazard, or failure in process. Think of it as a warning sign that, if ignored, could lead to an accident later.

2. Reporting obligations

• Accidents: Work-related accidents that result in death, specified injuries, or hospitalisation must be reported under RIDDOR, usually within 10 days. They often also trigger internal investigations, insurance involvement, and sometimes legal proceedings.
• Incidents: Not every incident requires external reporting, but they should always be recorded internally. Both near misses and dangerous occurrences are valuable data points — they highlight risks before anyone gets hurt. Certain incidents are also RIDDOR-reportable, even without injury.

3. Legal and organisational implications

• Accidents: Mishandling or failing to report an accident can result in regulatory fines, civil claims, or reputational damage. They are often costly in terms of lost productivity, insurance premiums, and compensation.
• Incidents: While the legal consequences are less immediate, overlooking incidents suggests negligence. A pattern of ignored near misses can be used as evidence of poor safety management if a future accident occurs.

Summary:

• An accident = harm caused (injury, illness, or damage).
• An incident = no harm caused, but potential risk present.
• Both require attention: accidents to address immediate harm, incidents to prevent harm in the future.

The importance of reporting incidents and accidents

Accurate reporting of accidents and incidents is one of the cornerstones of workplace health and safety. Even when no one is harmed, documenting what happened provides valuable insight into risks, hazards, and weaknesses that need addressing.

Key reasons for reporting include:

• Prevention: Many incidents are “near misses” — accidents that almost happened. Recording them allows employers to act before a real injury occurs.
• Trend analysis: Reports highlight recurring hazards (e.g. repeated slips in the same corridor), helping organisations make targeted improvements.
• Compliance: Reporting demonstrates that employers are meeting their duty of care under UK health and safety law.
• Culture: Encouraging staff to report even minor incidents creates a proactive safety culture where employees feel empowered to protect themselves and others.

Simply put: reporting turns problems into learning opportunities, helping organisations avoid repeat events and strengthening overall safety.

RIDDOR reporting

The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases, and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) set out specific legal requirements for reporting workplace accidents and incidents in the UK.

Under RIDDOR, the “responsible person” (employer, building manager, or other duty holder) must report:

• Fatalities (excluding suicides).
• Specified injuries, such as fractures (other than fingers and toes), amputations, serious burns, and loss of sight.
• Injuries requiring hospital treatment, or where a worker is incapacitated for more than 7 consecutive days.
• Dangerous occurrences, such as equipment failure, structural collapse, or accidental release of hazardous substances.
• Occupational diseases, including occupational asthma, dermatitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and tendonitis.
• Injuries to members of the public requiring hospital treatment caused by work activities.

Reports must usually be submitted to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) within 10 days, though certain serious incidents (such as fatalities) require immediate notification.

Failure to comply with RIDDOR is a criminal offence. It can result in substantial fines, imprisonment for those responsible, and serious reputational damage to the organisation.

To avoid these risks, many employers appoint a dedicated health and safety lead (or outsource to specialists) to ensure reporting is carried out correctly, investigations are thorough, and preventive measures are implemented.

Cardinus can serve as your named competent person. Learn more.

Preventative measures for accidents and incidents in the workplace

While reporting ensures lessons are learned after the fact, the ultimate goal of workplace health and safety is to stop accidents and incidents from happening in the first place. Prevention requires a proactive approach that combines training, equipment, planning, and culture.

Key preventative measures include:

1. Safety training for all staff

Training ensures that workers understand the risks of their role, how to use equipment safely, and what to do in the event of an accident or incident.

Inductions for new staff should always include health and safety awareness, while refresher courses and scenario-based drills help keep knowledge current.

Cardinus provides a varied suite of customisable Health and Safety eLearning courses, with content spanning:

• Asbestos Awareness
• Fire Safety
• Health & Safety Essentials
• Manual Handling
• Safety for Line Managers

…and much more. Explore our Health & Safety courses.

We also offer bespoke Health & Safety Leadership training for board members – ensuring effective safety principles inform business operations from the top down. Book a free consultation.

2. Safe and well-maintained equipment

Faulty, outdated, or misused equipment is one of the most common causes of both accidents and near misses. Employers should have clear maintenance schedules, replace equipment when needed, and ensure workers only operate tools and machinery they are trained and authorised to use.

3. Regular risk assessments

Risk assessments are the backbone of accident and incident prevention.

Read up on the 5 key steps of effective risk assessments.

They allow organisations to identify hazards, assess the likelihood and severity of harm, and implement controls before something goes wrong. Assessments should be repeated annually, or sooner when processes, layouts, or equipment change.

At Cardinus, we offer Independent Health & Safety Audits, as well as specific risk assessments for managing particular hazards:

• Industrial Ergonomics Risk Assessments
• DSE Risk Assessments
• Type 1 Fire Risk Assessments
• Type 2 & 4 Fire Risk Assessments

4. Building a safety-first culture

Rules and policies only work when people follow them. Employers should encourage open reporting of hazards, reward safe behaviours, and involve staff in safety discussions. A positive safety culture ensures everyone takes responsibility for protecting themselves and their colleagues.

Manage workplace risk with Cardinus

At Cardinus, we help organisations stay compliant while protecting their people. From health and safety training to risk assessments and audits, we can provide the support required to build a safer workplace.

Get in touch with our team today to discuss your health and safety needs.