The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) requires employers to report all workplace-related incidents that are serious enough to result in death or RIDDOR specified injuries.
Enforced in UK health and safety legislation, you need to report specified workplace incidents and injuries. You can make your report either online at https://www.hse.gov.uk/riddor/ or over the telephone.
What types of accidents at work need reporting?
RIDDOR was updated in 2013 to simplify the previous reporting requirements. Employers need to report work-related accidents that result in reportable injuries.
Work-related accidents need reporting if the accident was related to:
1. The way the work itself was organised, carried out or the way it was supervised;
2. any plant, machinery, substances or equipment that were used for the work;
3. the condition of the premises or site where the work-related accident happened.
If none of these applies, likely, you won’t need to submit a report.
An example of a reportable incident would be if an employee had their arm caught under machinery while at work. Employers are required by law or regulation to report this incident as soon as possible, recording all details.
Keeping a record of workplace accidents
It’s essential to keep proper records of incidents covered by RIDDOR because they will need to be produced if you are asked by the Health and Safety Executive or your local authority. Records logged in accident books are generally acceptable.
You must keep a record of:
1. Accidents, occupational diseases, and dangerous occurrences that require reporting under RIDDOR
2. Any other work-related accidents that cause injuries resulting in a worker being away from work or incapacitated for more than three consecutive days. You do not count the day of the workplace accident, but you do include any weekends or other rest days following it.
You don’t have to report injuries resulting in absences over three days unless the incapacitation period is more than seven days.
Who submits RIDDOR reports?
Under RIDDOR legislation, only employers or people in control of work premises are required to submit reports.
Nobody else, including injured employees or public members, has any legal responsibility to report any incidents. However, if an employee witnesses or experiences an incident covered by the regulations, they should report it to the appropriate person in control of the work premises.
Employees don’t have any legal responsibility to report work-related accidents under RIDDOR. As an employee, if you do witness or experience a work-related incident that would fall under these regulations, you should always report it to the appropriate person.
