Workplace Accident Report Letter: Free Template and What to Include

If you need to formally record and report a workplace accident to your employer, a written letter is the recommended first step — it creates a clear record and shows you're pursuing the matter formally. Below is what a strong workplace accident report should include.

What this letter needs to cover

• Describe the accident with date
• Time
• Location and circumstances
• Identify any injuries sustained and witnesses present
• Identify any contributing hazards or unsafe conditions
• Request confirmation that the incident has been recorded in the accident book under the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1979
• Request a copy of the entry

Why formally recording an accident matters, even for minor injuries

A written accident report creates an official record that protects you if symptoms worsen later, or if you need to make a claim down the line — verbal reports get forgotten or disputed, while a dated written record is far harder to challenge. Employers who normally employ 10 or more people at the same time are also legally required to keep an accident book, so this should feed directly into that.

What to include before you send it

• The date, time, and exact location of the accident
• What happened, described factually and in sequence
• Any injury sustained, even if it seemed minor at the time
• Names of any witnesses present

Why "minor" injuries still deserve a written record

Some injuries — particularly soft tissue or back injuries — don't show their full impact until days later. Without a contemporaneous written record, it becomes much harder to link a later-diagnosed problem back to the original workplace incident, which matters both for your health and for any potential claim.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to report an accident even if I don't think I'm hurt?
Yes — reporting promptly protects you if problems emerge later, and helps your employer identify and fix hazards before someone else is injured.

What if my employer doesn't have an accident book?
They're legally required to have one if they normally employ 10 or more people at the same time — if they don't, keep your own written record and send a copy to your employer for their files.

[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Your Postcode]
[Your Phone Number]
[Your Email Address]
[Name of Recipient, e.g. Line Manager or Health and Safety Officer]
[Job Title]
[Company Name]
[Company Address]
[Company Postcode]
[Date]

Dear [Name of Recipient],

Subject: Report of an accident at work

I am writing to formally report an accident at work, so that an accurate record is kept.

The accident happened on [Date] at about [Time, e.g. 2:15pm] at [Specific location, e.g. the warehouse loading bay].

The details are:
• What happened: [e.g. I slipped on an unmarked wet floor while carrying boxes]
• What caused it: [any hazard or unsafe condition, e.g. no wet floor sign and a leaking roof]
• My injuries: [e.g. I sprained my right wrist and bruised my knee]
• Witnesses: [e.g. [Name] saw what happened]

I received first aid from [Name of first aider, or "no first aid was available"] and then [e.g. went to the minor injuries unit at [hospital] on [date]].

Please confirm in writing that this accident has been recorded in the accident book, as required by the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1979, and send me a copy of the entry. Please also tell me whether it will be reported under RIDDOR.

Yours sincerely,

[Your Signature]
[Your Printed Name]