Posted By Jason Weston
Simon, I am not quite clear on exactly what you are after. The HSE publish incidence rates - the number of RIDDOR Reportable injuries per financial year, divided by the number of employees, multiplied by 100,000, but you are asking for incident rates. Is this different, and if so, what are you classifying as an incident? Although the terms accident and incident are used colloquially, I have found that each sector tends to use them in very specific ways.

My organisation is of similar size to yours, but we work in social housing - when we talk of incidents, we are normally referring to violence and aggression, and those few RIDDOR reportable dangerous occurrences that we experience.

If this data is any use to you, I am happy to share it, although I suspect we would have a higher number of such incidents. If I have completely missed the point, please let me know,
Regards, Jason

Posted By Martin
I've always found it much safer to think of accidents and incidents as one and the same. Distinguishing the terms can lead to confusion and an assumption that an accident without injury is less serious (in terms of how seriously it is taken) than one with injury or loss. The definiton of accident as any unplanned or unforseen event (with or without damage or loss) should cover everything. You can then go on to study 'Near Miss' accidents in the workplace if they are reported. These would be available in HSE statistics as Reportable Dangerous Occurances, although I would assume these would be very rare in an office environment and probably why you aren't finding them. A good internal reporting mechanism which distinguishes between accidents suffering loss and those that don't, can be invaluable.

Hope this helps.

Posted By Robert K Lewis
I have to take issue with Martin over the statement that the HSE defined DOs are Near Misses - My view is that they are not in any real sense of the word. The term has more subtlety in its definition and can include a wide range of situations aring from the acts or omissions of persons which have a potential to cause injury. If a worn or loose step is noted this could be termed a Near Miss, what about the fire extinguisher removed from its rack to wedge a door open? Also think laterally about a telephone being temporarily borrowed and the cable trailing.

The problem with the statistical calculations for "accidents" the factor is so large, 100,000, that a single accident gives a major movement unless a large number of hours are worked. With 600 staff you will probably only work a total of just over 100,000 hours in a year.

You will need to use some form of Near Miss analysis to make sense but do this in a positive manner, making it a plus point to report the NMs rather than a cause of self , or other, immolation.