Lesson 5.4 · 4 min

Recording accidents at work

Open in the coursewith narrated slides, a checklist to tick off and a quiz

At a glance

Which accidents to record. All fatal accidents at work, and all that cause an injury with more than three calendar days off work.
At least five years. The records must be kept for at least five years.
Reports to the inspectorate. When the labour inspectorate asks, reports on particular accidents must be drawn up and sent.
Review the assessment. After accidents the assessment must be reviewed and adjusted where needed, and workers trained again where it helps.
This carries a fine too. Breaching the duties to record and report accidents at work is an administrative offence.

In detail

What to record

Employers must keep records of all fatal accidents at work and of all accidents at work that cause an injury with more than three calendar days off work § 16(1) ASchG. The records must be kept for at least five years § 16(2) ASchG. When the labour inspectorate asks, reports on particular accidents must be drawn up and sent to it § 16(3) ASchG.

What follows

After accidents, the assessment must be reviewed and adjusted where needed § 4(5) no. 1 ASchG.
After accidents and events that nearly led to an accident, workers must be trained where that seems useful to prevent further accidents § 14(2) no. 6 ASchG.

Breaching the duty to draw up, keep and send records and reports on accidents at work is an administrative offence § 130(1) no. 13 ASchG. Reporting an accident to the accident insurer is a separate duty under social security law, which this course doesn't cover.

Checklist

We record every accident with more than three calendar days off work.
The records are kept for at least five years.
After an accident, we review the assessment.
After accidents and near misses, we train where it helps.

Quiz

Which accidents at work must be recorded under § 16 ASchG?

Only accidents on the way to work
Only fatal ones
Fatal ones and those with more than three calendar days off work
Every minor injury

Show the answer

The answer is C: Fatal ones and those with more than three calendar days off work. § 16(1) ASchG: all fatal accidents at work, and all that cause an injury with more than three calendar days off work.

Sources

This lesson's statements rest on:

Not legal advice. What counts is the Workers Protection Act (ASchG) and its regulations in the Federal Legal Information System (read on 4 October 2026). Rules for areas outside the ASchG, such as agriculture and forestry or the public service, and special rules for particular substances or sectors are not covered. Not an offer of the Labour Inspectorate, the AUVA or the Chamber of Commerce.