Posted By paul debney A line manager has just escorted a agency worker off our premise for misconduct. The agency worker has then come back 30mins later wanting to fill in an accident report form for a cut on his finger. (A claim is forthcoming I thinks). Should the agency worker fill in a accident report held by his employer (The agency) as well as the one we have filed?

Posted By paul debney In our warehouse area, opening a box with a knife.

Posted By Sally Perhaps rather than letting him complete the accident book you should just ask him to put the details of the alleged incident in a letter to you. That way it is on file without the potential of being seen to admit anything.

Posted By Sean Fraser Writing an incident into an Accident Book is the first step in an investigation - writing a false entry is obviously wrong but not inconceivable, if it is malevolently orientated. But how can it be an admission of guilt? They claimed it occured on your premises, you have to take them at their word at least initially. Once recorded, you look for witnesses to corroborate and you examine the wound to determine extent of injury and what treatment has been applied. If there are no witnesses, no-one was informed, no first aid equipment was used (even for self-treating), then it still comes down to their word. If you have safety knives in use, then the claim may be false. If you don't, then you can use the report as evidence that you need to introduce safer equipment. How can you lose? And what is the going rate for a wee cut finger these days, in compensation? A pound - three? Come on - a lawyer is going to waste time with this???? If it was severed, then that is something else . . . Write it in, inspect the wound, note if they had witnesses or reported it at the time, check what they were informed to do in event of injury during their induction, check the knives, check your first aid kit availability and contents, record your findings and any actions, job done. If they are daft enough to sue, then let them. Your records are bang on and they will drop it immediately. Don't record it and the only people who are losing out are your own staff who may be at risk of cutting themselves in future because of action you haven't taken now. Sorry if this sounds confrontational, it is not meant to be.