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What to do if…
you are injured at work and no first aid or medical help is provided

Produced and maintained by PanicStation.org Published: Last reviewed: Editorial policy UK guide

Short answer

Stop working and move away from any continuing danger if you can do so safely. Call 999 for a life-threatening emergency; otherwise contact the urgent-care service for your part of the UK or seek prompt medical assessment.

Do not do these things

  • Do not continue the task if it could worsen the injury or expose you to the hazard again.
  • Do not delay emergency help while arguing about responsibility or workplace procedure.
  • Do not drive yourself if pain, bleeding, dizziness, confusion or restricted movement could make driving unsafe.
  • Do not rely only on someone at work saying the injury is minor if you believe you need medical assessment.
  • Do not sign an account of the incident that you believe is inaccurate.
  • Do not disturb the incident area unless this is needed to prevent immediate harm.

What to do now

  1. Stop the work and move to the nearest safe place. Ask someone nearby to switch off or isolate any machinery, equipment, electricity, chemical source or other hazard if they can do so safely.

  2. Call 999 yourself, or ask someone else to call, if the injury appears life-threatening or involves severe bleeding, unconsciousness, serious breathing difficulty or another immediate danger. Give the workplace address, your location within the site and any access instructions.

  3. For an urgent but non-life-threatening injury, contact the appropriate service: NHS 111 in England, NHS 24 on 111 in Scotland, NHS 111 Wales, or the Phone First service in Northern Ireland. Follow the clinical advice provided.

  4. Tell a manager, supervisor or another person in charge that you have been injured, that first aid or medical help was not provided and that you are stopping work to seek care. Send a brief text message or email as soon as practical so there is a dated record.

  5. Ask for the incident to be recorded in the workplace accident book or other incident-recording system. Ask for the record to include the date, time, location, injury, what happened, who was informed and that first aid or medical assistance was not provided.

  6. Make your own short factual note while events are fresh. Record your symptoms, what caused the injury, who witnessed it, who you asked for help and what response you received. Keep relevant messages and take photographs only when safe.

  7. Seek medical assessment even if you have already left the workplace. Tell the healthcare professional that the injury happened at work, when it occurred and whether your symptoms have changed.

  8. Ask a trusted person to accompany you or arrange safe transport if you are in pain, shaken, dizzy or unable to move normally.

  9. After you are safe and have obtained medical help, raise any continuing concern about missing first-aid arrangements with a manager, health and safety representative or trade union representative. Concerns may also be reported to HSE in England, Scotland or Wales, or HSENI in Northern Ireland.

What can wait

You do not need to decide now whether to make a formal complaint, seek compensation, resign or return to the same duties. Questions about sick pay, employer reporting duties, legal responsibility and longer-term adjustments can wait until you are safe, medically assessed and able to review what happened.

Important reassurance

You can prioritise getting away from the hazard and obtaining medical help. A short factual record is enough for now; you do not need to resolve the whole workplace issue while you are injured or distressed.

Scope note

This guide covers only the first steps after a workplace injury when first aid or medical help has not been provided. Later decisions may require support from a healthcare professional, Acas, a trade union, a safety representative or a solicitor.

Important note

This is general information, not medical or legal advice. The right response depends on the injury, the immediate danger, your work arrangements and which health and safety authority covers the workplace.

Additional Resources

Closely connected guides that may be useful during the same situation or its immediate aftermath.

About this guide

This guide was produced and is maintained by PanicStation.org using its published editorial process. Official and specialist sources are checked where relevant, and AI-assisted tools may be used for drafting, organisation, and consistency checks. The site operator remains responsible for publication, revision, and removal decisions.

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