Incident, Accident and Injury Policy

 

1       INTRODUCTION

Located in over 570 acres of picturesque North Bedfordshire countryside, Keysoe International is a highly esteemed destination known around the world for its professional and welcoming environment.

As well as being a highly esteemed equestrian and events centre of excellence complete with an indoor arena, international size outdoor arena, cross country course, a Café, and bar, we also offer:

  • Alternative Education Provision, Work-Based Learning, and Animal Assisted Therapy (through Keysoe Cuddle Therapy Ponies CIC)
  • Venue hire, parties, and catering
  • Clinics, courses, and summer camps

 

2       PURPOSE

At Keysoe International Limited and Keysoe Cuddle Therapy Ponies CIC (collectively referred to as Keysoe International Ltd.), the health, safety, and welfare of our staff, users of our services (referred to as participants), visitors, and the general public is our priority.

We recognise, however, that regardless of the control measures put in place to prevent accidents and incidents (including near misses), there is always the risk of occurrence, and it is, therefore, crucial that we not only provide help in the event of harm but continually improve in order to remove the risk of recurrence.

This policy sets out the procedure for reporting, managing, and investigating accidents and incidents in order to fulfil our legal duties and responsibilities.

 

3       REFERENCE DOCUMENTS

  • KIF-0018     Incident Record Form – Near Miss
  • KIF-0020     KTCP Accident Form
  • KIF-0049     Referral Form
  • KIF-0051      Accident & Incident Form
  • KL-002         Incident Log

 

4       SCOPE

The policy applies to all staff, including employees, agency staff, student learners, volunteers and self-employed colleagues (referred to as staff throughout), and, in part, our participants, visitors, and the general public.

This policy does not, however, replace the responsibilities of those third parties who also have a duty of care to participants and our staff, for example, the operators of third-party sites we visit during off-site visits.

 

5       DEFINITIONS

Accidents are any events that result in injury or ill health.

Incidents are any event or circumstance which could foreseeably have resulted in unnecessary damage, loss, or harm and include:

  • Near misses, which are defined as events that do not cause harm but have the potential to cause injury or ill-health, including dangerous occurrences; and
  • Undesired circumstances, which are defined as a set of conditions or circumstances that have the potential to cause injury or ill health, e.g., not using the correct PPE.

Dangerous occurrences are several specific, reportable adverse events, as defined in the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR).

 

6       UNDERPINNING HEALTH AND SAFETY LEGISLATION AND GUIDANCE

  • Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HSWA)
  • Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
  • Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR)
  • Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992
  • Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 1996
  • Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981
  • Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH)
  • Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
  • Fire Safety and Safety of Places of Sport Act 1987
  • Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992

 

7       ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

7.1      Senior Management Team

The Senior Management team have a strategic responsibility for our health and safety arrangements and will comply with their duties under legislation.

Their roles and responsibilities include but are not limited to:

  • Ensuring that health and safety is taken seriously.
  • Ensuring that our health and safety policies and procedures are regularly reviewed and are effective.
  • Ensuring that appropriate resources are allocated for staff health and safety training.
  • Ensuring that this policy and any related policies, procedures and guidance are understood and followed by all staff.
  • Ensuring that incident and accident reports are investigated and appropriate actions are taken to prevent recurrence.

7.2      Members of Staff

Our staff play a particularly important role in the management of health and safety as they are in a position to both promote safe ways of working and identify concerns early.

All members of staff have a responsibility to:

  • Provide a safe environment in which every participant can thrive.
  • Be aware of hazards so that they can identify concerns.
  • Adhere to all safety protocols.
  • Immediately report incidents and accidents and cooperate in investigation processes.
  • Understand and follow this and other health and safety policy and procedures.
  • Undertake regular and appropriate training, which is regularly updated.

 

8       POLICY

8.1      Immediate Response

The immediate response to an accident or injury must be to provide support and first aid (if required) to those affected and/or injured. Remember, those affected must be the primary concern.

The immediate responsibility for managing accidents, incidents and falls to the most senior member of staff in the area at the time the accident or incident occurs or on duty when it is reported.

This individual is responsible for assessing the situation and deciding on the appropriate immediate response. This may include:

  • making the area safe
  • providing first aid[1]
  • calling the emergency services.

Remember: any actions taken must not compromise the safety of the member of staff or any other individuals, and before rushing to the scene, staff must first establish if the scene of the accident is safe to approach. If it is not safe to approach the injured party or the area (for example, if live electricity presents a risk or there is an active fire), the staff member must take steps to make the area safe before providing first aid.

If the accident is very serious, e.g. multiple injured persons or life-changing injuries, the line manager must ensure that the scene of the accident/incident is untouched.

It may also be necessary to ask any witnesses to remain in the area so that they can provide witness statements when it is safe to do so.

Dependent on the seriousness of the situation, photographs and further details of the scene should be taken to ensure sufficient detailed description and evidence are available.

8.2      Reporting Accidents and Incidents

All accidents and incidents (including near misses and dangerous occurrences) must be reported and will be investigated to establish what lessons can be learned to prevent such accidents/incidents from re-occurring in the future.

Accidents must be reported:

  • Immediately via telephone to the Senior Management team (if off-site or a member of the Senior Management team is not present).
  • On our Therapy Centre Accident Form: KIF-0020 for participants
  • ON our Accident & Incident Form: KIF-0051
  • In the local accident book (if working off-site in a care home, hospice, school, etc.)

Incidents must be reported:

  • On our Incident Record Form: KIF-0018
  • To the third-party management team (if working off-site in a care home, hospice, school, etc.)

All forms should be completed and provided to the Senior Management team as soon as possible after the accident or incident and within 24 hours at the latest.

8.3      Investigation

The investigation of the accident/incident must occur as soon as possible after the notification by the relevant Department Manager.

Where the accident/incident is serious or could have been more serious, a more detailed investigation must be considered.

Investigations should identify the following:

  • A factual chronology of the event.
  • The root cause of the incident or accident, whether it was due to human error, procedural failure, equipment failure, negligence, malicious actions, etc.
  • Whether we could have reasonably prevented the incident or accident.
  • Whether the incident or accident is reportable under RIDDOR.

8.4      Learning Lessons

We will:

  • Regularly review incident and accident reports to identify trends and areas for improvement.
  • Update policies, procedures, and training programs based on findings from incident and accident investigations.

All incident and accident action plans and any subsequent risk assessments must be communicated to staff and others affected via the most appropriate communication methods available.

8.5      Staff Support

All staff affected by an accident or incident will receive support and advice from their line manager, who must offer a debriefing meeting.

Participants and their family members or carers affected by accidents and incidents should also be offered appropriate support and asked if anyone else should be informed or involved.

 

9       PROCEDURES

9.1      RIDDOR Reporting

9.1.1     What to Report

The death of any person

All deaths of workers and non-workers, with the exception of suicides, must be reported if they arise from a work-related accident, including an act of physical violence to a worker.

Specified injuries to workers

The list of ‘specified injuries’ in RIDDOR 2013 replaces the previous list of ‘major injuries’ in RIDDOR 1995. Specified injuries are (regulation 4):

  • fractures, other than to fingers, thumbs and toes
  • amputations
  • any injury likely to lead to permanent loss of sight or reduction in sight
  • any crush injury to the head or torso causing damage to the brain or internal organs
  • serious burns (including scalding) which:
    • covers more than 10% of the body
    • causes significant damage to the eyes, respiratory system or other vital organs
  • any scalping requiring hospital treatment
  • any loss of consciousness caused by head injury or asphyxia
  • any other injury arising from working in an enclosed space which:
    • leads to hypothermia or heat-induced illness
    • requires resuscitation or admittance to hospital for more than 24 hours

Further guidance on specified injuries is available by clicking the link.

Over-seven-day incapacitation of a worker

Accidents must be reported where they result in an employee or self-employed person being away from work or unable to perform their normal work duties for more than seven consecutive days as the result of their injury. This seven-day period does not include the day of the accident but does include weekends and rest days. The report must be made within 15 days of the accident.

Over-three-day incapacitation

Accidents must be recorded but not reported where they result in a worker being incapacitated for more than three consecutive days.

Non-fatal accidents to non-workers (e.g. members of the public)

Accidents to members of the public or others who are not at work must be reported if they result in an injury, and the person is taken directly from the scene of the accident to the hospital for treatment of that injury. Examinations and diagnostic tests do not constitute ‘treatment’ in such circumstances. There is no need to report incidents where people are taken to hospital purely as a precaution when no injury is apparent.

If the accident occurred at a hospital, the report only needs to be made if the injury is a ‘specified injury’ (see above).

Occupational diseases

Employers and self-employed people must report diagnoses of certain occupational diseases, where these are likely to have been caused or made worse by their work. These diseases include (regulations 8 and 9):

  • carpal tunnel syndrome;
  • severe cramp of the hand or forearm;
  • occupational dermatitis;
  • hand-arm vibration syndrome;
  • occupational asthma;
  • tendonitis or tenosynovitis of the hand or forearm;
  • any occupational cancer;
  • any disease attributed to an occupational exposure to a biological agent.

Further guidance on occupational diseases.

Specific guidance is also available for:

Reporting Dangerous Occurrences

Several types of dangerous occurrences require reporting in circumstances where the incident has the potential to cause injury or death. This assessment does not require any complex analysis, measurement or tests, but rather for a reasonable judgement to be made as to whether the circumstances gave rise to a real, rather than notional, risk. Such judgement allows for prompt reporting and ensures that valuable information is not lost.

For further details, please refer to the following HSE webpage: https://www.hse.gov.uk/riddor/dangerous-occurences.htm.

Guidance on reporting in schools

Guidance can be found at the HSE site here: https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/edis1.htm.

9.1.2     Making a Report

Responsible persons should complete the appropriate online report form listed below. The form will then be submitted directly to the RIDDOR database. These records must then be downloaded as our local copy.

All incidents can be reported online, but a telephone service is also provided for reporting fatal/specified incidents only – call the Incident Contact Centre on 0345 300 9923 (opening hours Monday to Friday, 8.30 am to 5 pm).

9.2      Informing Others

It is almost always appropriate to inform the parents, guardians or carers of participants if they have been involved in an accident and what treatment[2] they received. Parent, guardian or carer will be asked to sign

In addition, it may also be appropriate to inform the referrer (social worker, school, college, etc.) if an incident or accident brings into question whether the participant’s suitability to engage with our services is in doubt or raises concern as to the appropriate level of supervision.

Please note: Parents and guardians must sign a consent form allowing any member of staff to take their child to the nearest Accident and Emergency unit to be examined, treated or admitted as necessary on the understanding that they have been informed and are on their way to the hospital.

Accidents involving a participant bumping their head

We recognise that accidents involving bumps to the head can be problematic because the injury may not be evident (e.g. internal), and the effects only become noticeable after a period of time.

In accordance with Section 11 of the HSE’s Guidance on First Aid, where a participant receives a blow to the head, their parents, guardians, or carers will be informed at the time of collection.

Accidents involving paramedic, GP or hospital intervention

Where the injury is an emergency, an ambulance will be called, and the parents, guardians, carers or emergency contacts will be called immediately and informed where the participant has been taken. If appropriate, a member of staff will accompany the participant to the hospital and remain with them until their parents, guardians, carers or emergency contacts arrive.

Where GP or hospital treatment is required but it is not an emergency, the most senior staff member on duty will contact the parents, guardians, carers or emergency contacts to arrange for them to take over the responsibility of the participant.

 

10     QUALITY ASSURANCE

We will ensure that systems are in place to monitor the implementation of and compliance with this policy and procedures.

A six-monthly review of all incidents and accidents in that period will be undertaken to assist in identifying problem areas where health and safety policy or procedure requires amendment. Incidents and accidents will be added to Keysoe Incident Log KL-002.

All information collected, including information collected during investigations, must be stored securely for up to seven years and must, along with any further investigative material and risk assessments, be made available for inspection by the Health and Safety Executive.

 

11     MONITORING AND REVIEWING

Keysoe International Ltd. is committed to ensuring our policies are effective and up-to-date. To do this, we have a process for regularly monitoring and reviewing them.

The Senior Management team are responsible for this process and will review the policies at least once a year or more frequently if needed due to changes in laws or our practices.

 

12     APPENDIX A: FIRST AID KITS AND DEFIBRILLATOR LOCATIONS

First Aid Kits are available:

  • In the reception area.
  • In the Café.
  • On the yards.

A defibrillator is available:

  • In the clearly labelled locked cabinet in the staff area.

(All staff are aware of the code to open the cabinet which is 4422)

 

13     APPENDIX B: RESUSCITATION PROCEDURE

How to Recognise Cardiac Arrest

Start CPR in any unresponsive person with absent or abnormal breathing.

Slow, laboured breathing (agonal breathing) should also be considered a sign of cardiac arrest.

A short period of seizure-like movements can occur at the start of cardiac arrest. Assess the person after the seizure has stopped: if unresponsive and with absent or abnormal breathing, restart CPR.

In the Event of a Cardiac Arrest

Call for help:

  • If there are others around, ask them to call 999 and request an ambulance. Once this is done, ask them to retrieve an AED if there is one nearby.
  • Or, if alone, using a mobile telephone or landline (hands-free if possible), call 999 and request an ambulance while starting BLS.

Initiate BLS:

  • High-quality chest compressions
    • Start chest compressions as soon as possible.
    • Deliver compressions on the lower half of the sternum (‘in the centre of the chest’).
    • Compress to a depth of at least 5 cm but not more than 6 cm.
    • Compress the chest at a rate of 100–120 min−1 with as few interruptions as possible.
    • Allow the chest to recoil completely after each compression; do not lean on the chest.
    • Perform chest compressions on a firm surface whenever feasible.
  • Rescue breaths
    • If you are trained to do so, after 30 compressions, provide 2 rescue breaths.
    • Alternate between providing 30 compressions and 2 rescue breaths.
    • If you are unable or unwilling to provide ventilations, give continuous chest compressions.
  • If available, use an AED
    • As soon as the AED arrives, or if one is already available at the site of the cardiac arrest, switch it on.
    • Attach the electrode pads to the person’s (who has sustained cardiac arrest) bare chest according to the position shown on the AED or on the pads.
    • If more than one rescuer is present, continue CPR whilst the pads are being attached.
    • Follow the spoken (and/or visual) prompts from the AED.
    • Ensure that nobody is touching the person whilst the AED is analysing the heart rhythm.
    • If a shock is indicated, ensure that nobody is touching the person. Push the shock button as prompted. Immediately restart CPR with 30 compressions. If no shock is indicated, immediately restart CPR with 30 compressions.
    • In either case, continue with CPR as prompted by the AED. There will be a period of CPR (commonly 2 minutes) before the AED prompts for a further pause in CPR for rhythm analysis.

How to find an AED

  • The location of an AED should be indicated by clear signage (there is one in the staff-only area on-site, code for the cabinet is 4422).
  • Ask staff members if working at a third-party venue.
  • Ambulance services should have available up-to-date information on defibrillator locations, so if in doubt – ask the 999 operator.

 

KIP-0032 Revision 2
Last updated 14th June 2024