How can I find out if a shop has reported an accident under RIDDOR where a member of the public (elderly relative) was injured and taken to the local A&E by ambulance. Do I approach the shop, I they obliged to tell me and can I contact the HSE to find out if they have reported it ? They tripped on a single step, approx 30mm high at the shop front and fell into the front door approx 1 meter behind it, breaking their nose and suffering 2 deep cuts to the face that required several stitches, as well as bruising across their body. They were comforted by a shop assistant while waiting for the ambulance who told them that she had tripped over the step many times entering the shop and that it should be replaced with a ramp. They were taken to A&E because the paramedics could not stop the bleeding from the 2 wounds and because they required stitches. They have told me that the edge of the step was marked with yellow/black sticky tape that was worn and faded. This can be seen when I check the image on Google streetmaps, (but obviously that image might not be representative of the nosing in place at the time). Can anyone advise how best to find out if it was reported ?

Jfw – not too sure of your motives to identify if the submission has been made or not – it’s their duty not yours. I can assure you that at the point of an accident in retail there is much hearsay on accident circumstances – what don’t you simply call the shop and ask? If it’s a large chain call their Head Office but I doubt if they will discuss and accident with you that you’re not involved in. The Amay assist you but once again your not involved!

Whilst the duty to report under RIDDOR may be the shop's why dont you also report it - either directly via the web form on HSEs website or directly to the Council as a complaint? Whilst one incident of a trip may or may not illicit a response, depending on the Council's policy regarding accident investigations or complaints, if any others also complain this builds up a picture which (hopefully) the Council will pick up on and deal with. With proactive inspections being restricted to high risk premises only Councils are looking for other ways and means, using intelligence such as this, to get a foot in the door (no pun intended) in order to do inspections.

Like DP I am curious as to the motive! I have my suspicions though! I am sorry but the suggestion to report this yourself is frankly ludicrous, however, by all means make a complaint (as this appears to be at least part of the motive) either to the shop or to the council. RIDDOR report though, I suggest you don't! From the very limited details you have provided I wouldn't hold your breath on the council serving an improvement notice though.

It had never ever occurred to me that the HSE's on-line public reporting portal is just that, and that any Tom, Dick or Harry can enter and send off anything they like via F2508. I wonder what resource the HSE employs to filter out the spurious entries and how secure it is from cyber-bot attack

Any MoP taken to hospital where the accident was as a result of a deficiency in the work activity or premises. Otherwise you'd be reporting all the time. This has been debated so many times.

We get a lot of elderly (and not so elderly) people tripping and falling over, sometimes they go to hospital, but if our retail colleagues manage to let us know (which they often don't) we always have to evaluate whether the injury was caused by an incident arising from work. As Clairel says, deficiency in the premises or work activity are what we look for. If they fall because there's a child running round their legs (as has happened) or because they're a bit wobbly and in need of a rest (as has happened) or because their shoes are old and clapped out, we don't report, John

As the OP mentioned a raised floor of 30mm (can that actually be called a step) which was poorly highlighted by worn tape and the member of staff was quoted as saying she had tripped on it a number of times previously, does that not constitute a deficiency?

Firstly the answer to the OP's question is no, regardless of their own personal reason of why they may want to. Secondly the HSE website has the wording below. the last line has [7] and this was a link to another page that said if you really want to complain then fill out the form link from this page, which takes you to a form reference COMP1, not F2508 : The injured person (or their representative), employee (or their representative), trade union representative or member of the public RIDDOR only requires employers, the self-employed and people in control of work premises (the Responsible Person) to make a report. If you have been injured at work or have been diagnosed by a doctor as suffering from a work related reportable disease, the Responsible Person may have to make a RIDDOR report. You should inform your employer or the person in control of the premises that you have been injured or have a work related reportable disease. If you are concerned that the Responsible Person has not made a report you should: ask them if they have reported the incident, and/or; approach your employee or TU representative If you still feel that your accident or work related disease has not been reported, or if you wish to report another issue, the complaints about workplace health and safety[7], provides additional guidance.