RIDDOR

Background

RIDDOR stands for the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995, which came into force on 1st April 1996. As an employer, you have duties under RIDDOR, which require you to report some work-related accidents, diseases and dangerous occurrences. The information is used by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and local authorities to identify where and how risks arise, and to investigate serious accidents.

What you need to report

• Death or a major injury.
• Over-three-day injury.
• Disease.
• Dangerous occurrence.

Death or major injury

These include accidents connected with work, where an employee, or self-employed person working on your premises, is killed or suffers a major injury, or where a member of the public is killed or taken to hospital.

Examples of major injuries include:

• Fractures other than to fingers, thumbs or toes.
• Amputation.
• Dislocation of shoulder, hip, knee or spine.
• Loss of sight (temporary or permanent).
• Injury resulting from an electric shock or burn leading to unconsciousness or requiring resuscitation.
• Acute illness requiring medical treatment, or loss of consciousness arising from absorption of any substance by inhalation, ingestion or through the skin.

Over-3-day injury

If there is an accident or incident at your premises and you, an employee, or a self-employed person working at your premises, suffer an over-3-day injury, you must report this within 10 days.

An over-3-day injury is one which is not major but results in the person being away from work or unable to do their full range of duties for more than three days, (not counting the day of the injury itself).

Reportable disease

Work-related diseases, classed as ‘reportable’ by a doctor must be reported using a ‘disease report form’ (F2508A). Examples of reportable diseases include:

• Certain poisonings.
• Some skin diseases such as occupational dermatitis and skin cancer.
• Lung disease including occupational asthma and asbestosis.
• Infections such as leptospirosis, hepatitis, tuberculosis and tetanus.

Reportable dangerous occurrence

If something happens which does not result in a reportable injury, but which clearly could have done, it may be a dangerous occurrence which must be reported immediately.

Examples include:

• Electrical short circuit or overloading causing fire or explosion.
• Explosion or fire causing suspension of normal work for over 24 hours.
• Unintended collapse of: any building or structure under construction, alteration or demolition where over five tonnes of material falls; a wall or floor in a place of work.

Who to report to

You should report the accident, incident or disease to the RIDDOR ‘Incident Control Centre’. You can complete reports (F2508/F2508A) on-line at the RIDDOR website: www.riddor.gov.uk/ or you can telephone them on 0845 300 9923 (8.30am–5.00pm).

Keeping records

You should keep a record of any reportable injury, disease or dangerous occurrence for 3 years after the date on which it happened. You should include:

The date and method of reporting.

• The date, time and place of the event.
• Personal details of those involved.
• A description of the nature of the event or disease.

All accidents should be recorded in an accident book, which should be kept on the premises.

Further information about RIDDOR

Further information on RIDDOR can be found by visiting the RIDDOR website: www.riddor.gov.uk/ and by obtaining the free HSE guide: RIDDOR explained. Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations available via HSE books website: www.hsebooks.co.uk or by telephoning 01787 88 11 65.