Ivor,

Is it really in the public interest to report this? Will the HSE bother investigating / proposing any changes to working procedures? Will you as an organisation make any changes to prevent a recurrence?

I'd record it and file it as an accident .

I once worked for a "safety excellent" company where this happened. It was decided that we were liable since we supplied the kettle and allowed drinks to be taken to the workplace and not the canteen. If it genuinely is a RIDDOR then report it - you have to be even handed on this, it's reportable or not reportable. I think it is in connection with work - who has not supplied coffee for safety meets etc? You should have a risk assessment for this. Ask yourself - 1) could he sue? Answer YES. Is it a forseeable risk - answer YES. So, do a RA and investigate, stop it happening again. Veryt often it it "trivial" risks like this which catch you out.

The accident didn’t happen through making, carrying or even drinking a cup of coffee, it was just there. The IP was technically working (not on a frolic of their own in my view) by using the phone (if it was a works call).

If you took the hot coffee out of the equation and say had one of those metal spikes you put notes onto to stop them getting lost on the desk, and he was on the phone and did a similar thing, but stabbed his hand. Would you consider it was work related then – hurt by something harmful on the desk? No real difference

Interesting how it would also be viewed if the coffee had gone over a person at an adjacent desk

I have in the past reported two hot drink accidents, but they were different and due to other people. This one = RA – no, RIDDOR report not sure, possibly not.

Would HSE be interested, doubt it, but then who knows what they are actually interested in. If someone tries to take my coffee away there will be a fight!

Ps you shouldn’t pour boiling water straight onto coffee as it burns it apparently. Wait for the water to cool a bit or a splash of cold water (or milk) first.

Note RIDDOR states more than 10%, as it is 10%, not more than, then not reportable anyway. Always go back to the legislation for the actual wording.

Chap scalds himself with a cup of coffee when gesticulating with his arms?

Not a RIDDOR, by any stretch.

Investigate and record because it happened in the workplace and the IP is injured, yes

Originally Posted by: PIKEMAN

Many organisations use "RIDDOR reportables" as a metric, this is not just about reporting to HSE. Being scalded is not trivial. It is also foreseeable; furthermore we usually have hiugher standards at work than at home. It may seem macho or trendy to only look at "big risks" however eliminating small risks enables a "zero accident" mindset. Think about safetyy culture and Heinrich..............

Pikeman I think you have raised an interesting discussion point, there have been a few threads reacently about Zero and 

There are many studies about the Triangle and the relations between accidents and fatal injuries and also zero accidents, zero harm, vision zero or........... zero vision

This is a quote from Heinrich in the 5th edition of his book published in 1980, unfortunately the myth had already perpetuated from his 1931 edition

"There has been much confusion about the original ratio in industrial accident prevention. It does not mean, as we have too often interpreted it to mean, that the causes of frequency are the same as the causes of severe injury. National figures show that different things cause severe injuries than the things that cause minor injuries. Statistics show that we have been only partially successful in reducing severity by attacking frequency."

Focusing on the low consequence incidents does not reduce serious injuries and fatalities, preventing twisted ankles or paper cuts does not stop people being electrocuted or being crushed by falling loads.  Each event needs to be assessed in terms of potential and resources for investigation and corrective actions allocated accordingly because the things that hurt workers are rarely the same things that kill them.  Smaller severity more frequent accidents can provide information about the direct and underlying causes of bigger severity more catastrophic accidents but only if looking within the same hazard category (L.J. Bellamy, 2015, Exploring the relationship between major hazard, fatal and non-fatal accidents through outcomes and causes)

Regarding someone spilling coffee on themselves, the OSHA guidance is much clearer on this it's a shame the HSE can't provide the same kind of guidance.  I personally would not report it as I don’t see it as work related.  In my offices we supply insulated cups with lids that screw on, but i think the FM team were thinking about the carpets rather than the people ;)

I am curious.

I can see you might not report as it is under not over 10%.

I can see that you might not report because you feel that making and drinking (and knocking over) a cup of coffee is not work-related because it would not be a  task or operation required by the employer, (even the the phone call might have been)

But if you did decide to report, it is clear that the employee didn't do this as a result of carrying out his duties otherwise you would have issued scald resistant trousers, so what would be the potential harm to the company of reporting it? If you ring them for advice is it likely to cause the company trouble? Is it because it goes on a tally against the company (of 'things that company have done wrong')? Does that not go against the mantra of 'if in doubt, report, even the small things, because accident and near miss information is invaluable'? Surely the HSE preach the same mantra and surely they apply reasonable and proportionate to their decision as to what to investigate? They can't fine the company for an accident like this, they'd have to shut everyone down.

Or could they?

My wife has a sore ear, someone rang her while she was ironing.