I was/am under the impression that an Accident Book can be in any form so long as it contains the same information as that which is in the yellow Accident Book BI510, - ie a company does not need to use the specific book BI510 as long as the information being recorded is the same as that which would be in BI510 and so long as Data Protection Act requirements are fulfilled. Assuming I am correct can anyone point me in the direction of any guidance or official comment that illustrates this. I tried a search on the discussion pages but drew a blank. Thanks in advance.

IHO there is no requirement to use the BI510 in itself, although it is an statutory requirement to have an accident book. The requirement for this book is driven by The Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1979 and reading through the Regulations itself it was amended with the following below:

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The Social Security (Claims and Payments) Amendment (No. 3) Regulations 1993

keep readily accessible a means (whether in a book or books or by electronic means), in a form approved by the Secretary of State, by which a person employed by the employer or some other person acting on his behalf may record the appropriate particulars (as defined in regulation 24) of any accident causing personal injury to that person.
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The interesting thing I take from this is that the book / books or electronic means should be in a form approved by the Secretary of State.

My 2p worth :)