RIDDOR reporting: what to report, who reports it, and when

What RIDDOR is

HSE describes RIDDOR as “the law that requires employers, and other people in charge of work premises to report and keep records of” work-related fatalities, work-related injuries, diagnosed cases of reportable occupational diseases, and certain dangerous occurrences. Its purpose is to tell the enforcing authority that a work-related accident or incident has happened. [HSE: RIDDOR explained]

What counts as an accident

HSE says an accident under RIDDOR is “separate, identifiable, unintended and causes physical injury”, and that this includes acts of non-consensual violence to people at work. [HSE: RIDDOR explained]

Whether an accident is reportable doesn’t depend on finding blame: an accident “arising out of or in connection with work” may be reportable even if there was no breach of health and safety law and no one was clearly to blame. [HSE: RIDDOR explained]

What must be reported

1. Deaths. The death of any person as a result of a work-related accident. [reg 6(1)] HSE says this excludes suicides. [HSE: Types of reportable incidents] Where an employee’s reportable injury causes their death within one year of the accident, the employer must also notify the death. [reg 6(3)]
2. Specified injuries to workers [reg 4(1)]
   • A bone fracture diagnosed by a registered medical practitioner, other than to a finger, thumb or toe.
   • Amputation of an arm, hand, finger, thumb, leg, foot or toe.
   • An injury diagnosed as likely to cause permanent blinding or reduction in sight in one or both eyes.
   • A crush injury to the head or torso causing damage to the brain or internal organs in the chest or abdomen.
   • A burn (including scalding) covering more than 10% of the whole body’s total surface area, or causing significant damage to the eyes, respiratory system or other vital organs.
   • Any degree of scalping requiring hospital treatment.
   • Loss of consciousness caused by head injury or asphyxia.
   • Any other injury from working in an enclosed space that leads to hypothermia or heat-induced illness, or requires resuscitation or admittance to hospital for more than 24 hours.
3. Over-seven-day injuries. A worker unable to do their routine work for more than seven consecutive days, not counting the day of the accident. Report as soon as practicable, and in any event within 15 days of the accident. [reg 4(2)] HSE says the seven days include weekends and rest days. [HSE: Types of reportable incidents]
4. Over-three-day injuries: record, don’t report. An injury that keeps a worker off routine work for more than three consecutive days, not counting the day of the accident, must be recorded. [reg 12(1)(c)] HSE says an employer can record these in the accident book. [HSE: Types of reportable incidents]
5. People not at work, such as members of the public: reportable if they are injured in a work-related accident and taken from the scene to hospital for treatment. [reg 5] HSE says examinations and diagnostic tests such as X-rays don’t count as treatment, and there’s no need to report people taken to hospital purely as a precaution when no injury is apparent. [HSE: Types of reportable incidents]
6. Occupational diseases. A diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome, cramp in the hand or forearm, occupational dermatitis, hand arm vibration syndrome, occupational asthma, or tendonitis or tenosynovitis in the hand or forearm, each where the person’s work involves the exposure the regulation describes. [reg 8] Also any cancer attributed to occupational exposure to a known human carcinogen or mutagen, and any disease attributed to occupational exposure to a biological agent. [reg 9]
7. Dangerous occurrences listed in Schedule 2. [reg 7] Examples that apply on construction sites:
   • the collapse, overturning or failure of any load-bearing part of any lifting equipment, other than an accessory for lifting [Sch 2 para 1]; HSE says lifting equipment includes bored piling rigs and percussion piling rigs [HSE: Dangerous occurrences]
   • plant or equipment unintentionally coming into contact with an uninsulated overhead electric line where the voltage exceeds 200 volts, or close enough to one to cause an electrical discharge [Sch 2 para 3]
   • the complete or partial collapse of a substantial part of any scaffold more than 5 metres in height [Sch 2 para 18]
   • the unintentional collapse or partial collapse of any structure involving a fall of more than 5 tonnes of material, or of any floor or wall of any place of work, arising from or in connection with ongoing construction work [Sch 2 para 23]; and of any falsework [Sch 2 para 24]
   • an unintentional explosion or fire in plant or premises that stops the plant, or suspends normal work in the premises, for more than 24 hours [Sch 2 para 25]

Road traffic: the exception for road works

Injuries and deaths arising from the movement of a vehicle on a road aren’t reportable under RIDDOR, except in listed cases. One of them matters on civils jobs: the rule still applies where the person was engaged in work on or alongside a road, or was injured by someone who was. [reg 14(3)]

“Work on or alongside a road” means work on the construction, demolition, alteration, repair or maintenance of the road or its markings or equipment; its verges, fences, hedges or other boundaries; pipes or cables on, under, over or adjacent to it; or buildings or structures adjacent to or over it. [reg 14(4)]

Who reports: the “responsible person”

• For an employee: their employer. [reg 3(1)]
• For a self-employed person or someone not at work, and for dangerous occurrences: the person in control of the premises where it happened. [reg 3(1)]
• HSE says a self-employed person injured on someone else’s premises should make sure the person in control knows, because that person reports it. [HSE: Who should report]
• HSE says injured people and members of the public shouldn’t use the reporting system; they can raise a concern with HSE instead. [HSE: Who should report]

When and how

• Deaths, specified injuries to workers, injuries to people not at work, and dangerous occurrences: notify the enforcing authority by the quickest practicable means without delay, and send a report within 10 days of the incident. [Sch 1 para 1]
• Over-seven-day injuries: report within 15 days of the accident. [reg 4(2)]
• Occupational diseases: as soon as the responsible person receives the diagnosis. [HSE: When do I need to report]
• HSE says to report online. For fatal accidents and specified injuries to workers only, you can phone 0345 300 9923. [HSE: How to make a RIDDOR report]

Records

• Keep a record of every reportable incident and diagnosis, and every over-three-day injury, for at least three years. [reg 12]
• HSE says that if you don’t keep a copy of the online form, your records must include the date and method of reporting; the date, time and place of the event; personal details of those involved; and a brief description of the event or disease. [HSE: What records do I need to keep]
• HSE: “Information supplied to HSE in a RIDDOR report is not passed on to your insurance company.” [HSE: What records do I need to keep]

Questions

What is RIDDOR?

The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013. HSE describes RIDDOR as the law that requires employers, and other people in charge of work premises, to report and keep records of work-related fatalities, work-related injuries, diagnosed cases of reportable occupational diseases and certain dangerous occurrences (HSE: RIDDOR explained).

What needs to be reported under RIDDOR?

Deaths from work-related accidents, specified injuries to workers, injuries that keep a worker off normal duties for more than seven consecutive days, injuries to people not at work who are taken from the scene to hospital for treatment, certain diagnosed occupational diseases, and the dangerous occurrences listed in Schedule 2 (RIDDOR 2013 regulations 4 to 9).

Who is responsible for RIDDOR reporting?

The “responsible person”: the employer, for an employee; the person in control of the premises, for a self-employed person or someone not at work, and for dangerous occurrences (RIDDOR 2013 regulation 3).

How long do you have to report under RIDDOR?

Deaths, specified injuries, injuries to people not at work and dangerous occurrences: notify without delay, and send a report within 10 days (Schedule 1). Over-seven-day injuries: within 15 days of the accident (regulation 4(2)). Occupational diseases: as soon as the responsible person receives the diagnosis (HSE: When do I need to report).

Is an over-3-day injury reportable?

No, but it must be recorded. An injury that keeps a worker off routine work for more than three consecutive days, not counting the day of the accident, must be recorded (RIDDOR 2013 regulation 12(1)(c)).

Do road traffic accidents count under RIDDOR?

Injuries from the movement of a vehicle on a road are generally not reportable, but they are if the person was engaged in work on or alongside a road, such as work on the road, its verges, or pipes or cables on, under, over or next to it (RIDDOR 2013 regulation 14(3) and (4)).