---
title: Incidents and cases
canonical_url: https://hrhive.co.uk/product/incidents/
content_type: product
summary: HRHive records incidents, accidents, complaints, grievances, whistleblowing and other matters as cases. There are nine types and four confidentiality levels, with an access list, a timeline of notes and evidence, and an outcome. HRHive does not file RIDDOR reports, and it has no disciplinary letters or hearing workflow.
audiences:
  - employer
  - manager
jurisdiction: uk
status: published
last_updated: 2026-10-05
---

# Cases recorded properly, and seen only by the people who should see them

> HRHive records incidents, accidents, complaints, grievances, whistleblowing and other matters as cases. There are nine types and four confidentiality levels, with an access list, a timeline of notes and evidence, and an outcome. HRHive does not file RIDDOR reports, and it has no disciplinary letters or hearing workflow.

## What problem does this solve?

Something happens on site: a near miss, a cut, a complaint. It goes in a notebook, in a text message, or in the memory of whoever was there. Weeks later nobody can say what was done about it, and the person who raised it never heard back. Sensitive matters are harder still. They must stay with a few people, and the people involved must never see them.

## What HRHive does

- Records each matter as a case, with a reference such as INC-0001, a type, a priority, an owner, a status, a next action with a date, and an outcome. There are nine types: Complaint, Grievance, Incident, Accident, Disciplinary, Performance Concern, Whistleblowing, Absence Concern and Other.
- Lets people raise them. Employees can report an incident or accident, or raise a complaint, grievance, whistleblowing concern or something else, from the portal or a form. HR can record a case too.
- Decides who can see each case, with four confidentiality levels: Standard (HR and the case owner), HR only, Organisation owner only, and Restricted (named people only). Whistleblowing starts as Restricted. Grievance and disciplinary cases start as HR only.
- Keeps an access list. Named investigators and others can be added to a case. People involved in the case never get access, even if they are managers or in HR.
- Keeps a timeline of notes, meetings, actions and evidence. Each entry is internal, or shared with the person who raised the case. Entries cannot be edited or removed.
- Asks for an outcome before a case can be closed.
- Keeps the person who raised it informed. They get an acknowledgement, can see the status, shared notes and outcome, and can add information.

> **What cases do not do**
>
> HRHive tracks the process. It does not make legal decisions for you. It does not file RIDDOR reports. It has a Disciplinary case type that only HR can see, but no disciplinary letters and no hearing workflow.

## How it works

1. **Raise the case.** An employee uses Report an incident or raise a concern in their portal. HR chooses Record a case. Add the type, subject, details, the date it happened, who it is about and who can see it.
2. **HRHive assigns an owner.** If you do not choose one, HRHive uses the default case owner, who is never someone named in the case. A case an employee raises starts with the next action "Acknowledge and assign", and the owner is told straight away.
3. **Work the case.** Add notes, record meetings, attach evidence and set a next action and date. HRHive reminds HR and admins two days before a next action and on the day, and an overdue one shows on Home.
4. **Record the outcome and close.** Say what was decided and any actions agreed. Then close the case.
5. **Print it.** Print the case record, print the register, or produce the Incident History.

## What you see

Cases lists open, closed or all cases with the owner, the next action and its due date, and a padlock on anything confidential. Overdue next actions show in red. Each case shows its details, outcome and timeline, with its status, priority, owner, the people involved and who can see it.

**INC-0001** — Incident: Vehicle damage, skip lorry [Under review]

- Raised by: James Patel
- Case owner: Sarah Morgan
- Date it happened: 3 August 2026
- Priority: Normal
- Who can see it: Standard: HR and case owner
- Added by name: No one
- Next action: Approve the repair quote, by 9 October 2026

Timeline:
- 3 Aug 2026: Submitted
- 3 Aug 2026: Assigned to Sarah Morgan
- 5 Aug 2026: Evidence: 2 photographs of the damage (internal only)
- 12 Aug 2026: Under review

## The record it creates

A case is a dated record. Its timeline cannot be edited or removed, and viewing a case is recorded in the audit log. You can print any case, print the register, or produce the Incident History: incidents and accidents in date order, for the dates you choose, listing only the cases you are allowed to see.

_Example output (demo data): an Incident History: each recorded incident with date, people involved, actions taken and outcome._

## Who can do what

Who can see a case depends on its confidentiality level, not just on a person's role.

| Role | What they can do |
| --- | --- |
| Owner | Sees standard, HR only and owner only cases, and any case they own or are named on. Can record cases, assign owners and change who can see a case. |
| Admin and HR | See standard and HR only cases, and any case they own or are named on. Can record cases, assign owners and change who can see a case. |
| Case owner and people on the access list | See and work the case, whatever their role, unless they are named in it. |
| Manager | Does not see the Cases area. A manager who needs a matter recorded asks HR, or the person raises it from their own portal. |
| Employee | Raises an incident, accident, complaint, grievance, whistleblowing concern or other matter from their portal. Sees the status, shared notes and outcome of what they raised, and can add information. Never sees internal notes. |
| Anyone named as the subject of a case, or involved in it | Never sees it through their role, even if they are a manager or in HR. They cannot be added to the access list or made the case owner. |
| Payroll, compliance and auditor | No access to cases. |

## What happens next

Open cases and overdue next actions show on Home for the people who can see them. The timeline of the person who raised a case shows only that they raised it, never the detail. When a case is closed, it is kept under the retention schedule for case records.

## Frequently asked questions

### Does HRHive file RIDDOR reports?

No. HRHive does not file RIDDOR reports. It keeps the record of the accident or incident, what was done about it and the evidence.

### Can the person a case is about see it?

No. Anyone named as the subject of a case, or involved in it, never sees it through their role, even if they are a manager or in HR. They cannot be added to the access list or made the case owner.

### Can I use cases for disciplinary matters?

You can record one as a Disciplinary case, which starts as HR only, with notes, evidence and an outcome. HRHive does not write disciplinary letters or run a hearing process, and it does not make legal decisions for you.

## About this page

- Last updated: 5 October 2026

## Related

**In HRHive**

- [Questionnaires and forms](https://hrhive.co.uk/product/questionnaires/)
- [Evidence packs and printable records](https://hrhive.co.uk/product/evidence-packs/)
- [Employee self-service](https://hrhive.co.uk/product/employee-self-service/)
- [Employee records and personnel files](https://hrhive.co.uk/product/employee-records/)

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