Hello, need some help with this one.

We had had an employee off for 4 weeks following a heart attack he had at home, during the 4 weeks he contacted the company due to only getting SSP and he was not happy about it.

Suddently 3 days after his return date (4 weeks and 5 days after the heart attack) he has put in an accident via the accident book dating back to 1 day before his heart attack, on the accident form he states this lead to a heart attack.

Now this is the first we have heard about the "accidnet" and its conveinient that this has only came up nearly 5 weeks after the intial abesnce and is still wanting payment.

I will be comleting an investigation tomorrow with the emplyee on the accident reported like i would normally do, however my qustion is, would this be deemed as a RIDDOR now?

Thank You 

That is a pretty big jump heart attack directly attributable to a work accident.

Granted if they are not at work it is hard to report but waiting additional days after return?

Do your investigation, ask them why it was late in being reported and remind them that falsification of a company record could be construed as gross misconduct as well as potential fraud (by example what does the sick/fit note say? would they like to be stood opposite the doctor in court?).

If they still want to persist with their claim document everything and make a late over seven day RIDDOR explaining that you have only just been made aware.

Attributing the heart attack as a result of an incident is something that in my view requires medical expertise. How will you decide whether there is a valid link? Do you have the medical expertise to do this? The fact that the individual claims this is his opinion, not a valid medical diagnosis. So referral to occupational health or the production of a formal diagnosis by the individual from a medical practitioner stating that the heart attack was as a result of some other factor associated with work is surely a precondition for consideration of the claim.

Originally Posted by: CptBeaky

I am intrigued as to what workplace "accident" could have been the cause of this heart attack.

an accident while manufacturing amyl nitrate? That would be exposure to a hazardous substance

Badly maintained boiler or other gas burning appliance leading to hypoxia through Carbon Monoxide posioning

I agree with earlier comments - if this were my case I would now be referring the employee to the company occupational health service provider in order a detailed report could be provided (with the consent of the person involved). The later point would undoubtedly not be an issue given the allegation made.

I would not pass comment or make reports to the HSE until the time is appropriate. It needs to be remembered in respect of lost time, the RIDDOR report will only need to be made if the event is ‘out of or in connection with work’ there must be an identifiable external event and the work activity itself must have significantly contributed to the said accident.

Edited by user 06 November 2019 21:55:46(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

Originally Posted by: chris.packham

Attributing the heart attack as a result of an incident is something that in my view requires medical expertise. How will you decide whether there is a valid link? Do you have the medical expertise to do this? The fact that the individual claims this is his opinion, not a valid medical diagnosis. So referral to occupational health or the production of a formal diagnosis by the individual from a medical practitioner stating that the heart attack was as a result of some other factor associated with work is surely a precondition for consideration of the claim.

Absolutely agree Chris, a serious medical opinion is something that needs to be obtained during the investigation,

John

Please don't confuse a cardiac arrest with a heart attack.

A cardiac arrest is where the heart fails to pump sufficient blood to maintain life and can have a number of causes, one of which is a Myocardial Infarction, also known as a heart attack where there is obstruction of blood supply to heart muscle.

The usual cause of an MI is a blood clot which can occur due to a number of predisposing factors.

I would hold back on any reporting until you have a medical report giving information on the cause of the MI.

If it can be attributed to development of a blood clot due to injury, then the question needs asking where, when and how did the injury occur. Then you have the other factor to take into account - does the claimant smoke? Any recent long haul flights? etc.etc.