Safety and Environmental Protection Service (SEPS) have recently provided a web form to simplify reporting of accidents and “near-miss” incidents, writes David McLean, SEPS.

This means faster and more straightforward reporting from a computer and the option to report direct from mobile devices, such as phones and tablets. 

The web form is sent automatically to SEPS, but copies of the report can also be directed to a supervisor and to a local safety co-ordinator, if the person making the report provides the appropriate email addresses. 

The form can be found at: Safety &  Environmental Protection Service

We would encourage reporting of incidents using the web form rather than the paper form, where possible.

We do recognise that some people who suffer accidents are involved in manual work and do not always use computers as a routine part of their daily work.  We will be keeping the paper reporting form as an option for those who prefer that method and reports can continue to be sent on paper, or by email attachment.

All we ask is that we are told of all significant accidents and “near-misses” promptly.  

The University is legally required to report some types of incident to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and so we do need to be told about such events promptly so that we can meet the legal time limits for reporting.

Although most people know what constitutes an “accident”, deciding whether a particular occurrence is a “near-miss” is more difficult and often needs a bit of judgement. In general, we are want know about incidents with the potential to have caused a significant injury or harm to staff, students or visitors, particularly where this might have been avoided through better safety management practices.

One of the key aims of “near-miss” reporting is to identify safety deficiencies before an injury has occurred so that action can be taken to avoid future accidents.

Radiation Protection Service has also introduced a similar form specifically for reporting of radiation incidents. That form can be accessed at:  Radiation Incident Reporting Form

First published: 13 September 2017

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