Incident Management guidance – updated definition of Significant Incidents and clearer timelines

UCL Safety Services has updated Chapter 10 – Accident and Incident Management, strengthening the clarity and consistency of how incidents are reported, investigated, and reviewed across the university. The revised guidance now provides explicit investigation timelines and a clearer explanation of what constitutes a “significant incident.”

Clear investigation timelines

The updated chapter introduces defined completion timeframes for different categories of incidents, ensuring investigations are carried out promptly and proportionately. 

These timelines now range from up to five working days for straightforward cases to 20–60 working days for complex or high-risk incidents, including RIDDOR-reportable events and those involving serious harm. These structured expectations support departments in managing investigations efficiently and maintaining compliance with statutory requirements.

Clarified definition of “Significant Incidents”

The revision also clarifies when an incident should be escalated for Senior Management Review. 

Significant incidents now include those involving vulnerable individuals, notifiable injuries, dangerous occurrences, patterns of recurring issues, incidents with UCL-wide implications, or any event that may result in serious harm or death. These cases require senior oversight to ensure lessons are embedded across the institution and that corrective actions are robust and far-reaching.

Strengthening UCL’s safety culture

These updates reinforce UCL’s commitment to transparent, timely, and effective incident management. 

By clearly defining expectations and escalation criteria, the revised chapter supports departments in improving safety performance and ensuring that critical learning is shared across the university.

Further information

For more detail on the updated arrangements and related safety processes, staff are encouraged to refer to the following Safety Services resources:

• UCL’s Health and Safety Management System – see how Chapter 10 fits within UCL’s wider safety governance framework and organisational arrangements.
• Chapter 10 – Accident and Incident Management – explore Chapter 10, including clarified investigation timelines and the updated definition of significant incidents.
• How to Investigate an Accident or Incident – step‑by‑step guidance on Initial Assessments, local vs. full investigations, and using riskNET to record findings.

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