RIDDOR Explained - Quick Facts And Simple Stats

RIDDOR applies to every workplace in the UK, so it's a legal requirement to understand the rules, what you need to report, and when.

RIDDOR stands for the Reporting of Injuries Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations.

RIDDOR affects anyone who is an employer, self-employed or in control of work premises as you will have duties under the RIDDOR regulations. Under the RIDDOR regulations, employers, the self-employed and people in control of work premises have a legal duty to report certain serious workplace accidents, occupational diseases and specified dangerous occurrences (near misses).

The RIDDOR regulations make the reporting of certain accidents, ill health and dangerous occurrences a legal requirement.

Ok, now we know what the RIDDOR regulations are and where they apply, but what exactly do we need to report under RIDDOR, and who do we report it to?

The purpose of the RIDDOR regulations is to allow the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and local authorities to monitor accident trends, identify how risks arise and investigate serious accidents. So, to comply with RIDDOR, you need to report certain types of incidents and injuries to the HSE.

There are 5 main categories of injuries, diseases and dangerous occurrences you need to report and these include:

Deaths

All deaths arising out of or in connection with work need to be reported under RIDDOR. This includes any death caused by a work-related injury, even if the person doesn't die straight away. If a person dies as a result of a reportable injury, within one year of the accident, you should report it.

111 worker deaths were reported under RIDDOR in 2019/20.

Specified Injuries

The list of 'specified injuries' in RIDDOR 2013 replaces the previous list of 'major injuries' in RIDDOR 1995.

Major, non-fatal injuries must also be reported under RIDDOR. These are classed in RIDDOR as specified injuries and include:

1. any bone fracture diagnosed by a registered medical practitioner, other than to a finger, thumb or toe
2. amputation of an arm, hand, finger, thumb, leg, foot or toe
3. any injury diagnosed by a registered medical practitioner as being likely to cause permanent blinding or reduction in sight in one or both eyes
4. any crush injury to the head or torso causing damage to the brain or internal organs in the chest or abdomen
5. any burn injury (including scalding) which—
   • covers more than 10% of the whole body’s total surface area; or
   • causes significant damage to the eyes, respiratory system or other vital organs
6. any degree of scalping requiring hospital treatment
7. loss of consciousness caused by head injury or asphyxia
8. any other injury arising from working in an enclosed space which
   • leads to hypothermia or heat-induced illness
   • requires resuscitation or admittance to hospital for more than 24 hours

65,427 non-fatal injuries to employees were reported by employers under RIDDOR in 2019/20.

Over 7 Day Injuries

An over 7-day injury* is any injury that results in the injured person being away from work, or unable to do the full range of their normal duties for more than 7 consecutive days.

When calculating the 7 days you should not include the day of the accident.

• This was previously (pre-2013) over 3-day injuries. You must still keep a record of over 3-day injuries, for example in your accident book, however, you are no longer required to report it to the HSE.

Members of the public

If an accident results in a member of the public taken from the scene to a hospital for treatment of an injury, it must be reported under RIDDOR.

92 members of the public were killed due to work-related accidents in 2019/20.

Occupational Diseases

Reportable diseases include: poisonings; skin diseases such as dermatitis and skin cancer, ulcer, oil folliculitis/acne; lung diseases including asthma, farmer’s lung, pneumoconiosis, asbestosis, mesothelioma; infections such as leptospirosis, hepatitis, tuberculosis, anthrax, legionellosis, tetanus, and; other conditions such as occupational cancer musculoskeletal disorders, decompression illness and hand-arm vibration syndrome.

Dangerous Occurrences

There is a long list of reportable dangerous occurrences found in the RIDDOR regulations, including (but not limited to):

• collapse of machinery and structures
• explosions and bursting of pipework and closed vessels
• contact with overhead power lines
• electrical fires or explosions
• demolition failure, unintentional explosions or misfires
• accidental release of biological agent or substance which may damage health
• scaffold collapse
• failure of diving equipment
• train collisions
• unintended collapse of a building or structure, wall or floor, falsework
• uncontrolled release of flammable liquids and gases.

The above list is a summary. There are exceptions and further details contained in the RIDDOR regulations, which should be consulted to determine if an occurrence is reportable.

Timeframes

In the case of death, major injury and dangerous occurrences the timescales for RIDDOR reporting are:

• initial notification by the quickest practicable means, and
• full RIDDOR report submitted within 10 days

For over 7-day injuries reports must be made within 15 days of the accident.

Where the incapacitation does not immediately follow the accident as sometimes injuries can develop some time after, the report should be made as soon as the injury becomes apparent.

All RIDDOR reports can be made online via the HSE website, and a telephone service is in place for reporting fatal and major injuries.

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Need help understanding your duties under RIDDOR? Find out more with our RIDDOR online training course.