11. Dealing with accidents, injuries and ill health

This chapter covers the latest regulations, guidance and union campaigns related to workplace incidents and ill health. It first gives the latest on the rules and practice governing reporting coronavirus outbreaks at work, on the union campaigns to get Covid and long Covid officially reclassified as well as information about first aid during the pandemic. Then it covers the process of reporting and recording incidents more generally under Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 and what unions want included under these regulations. It takes a critical look at the official statistics on workplace and incidents and lays out the rules governing their reporting and investigation. Finally it covers what safety reps need to know about data protection, first aid, changes to the occupational health regime, fit notes and the return to work.