RIDDOR - Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (UK)
UK regulations requiring employers, the self-employed, and people in control of premises to report certain workplace accidents, occupational diseases, dangerous occurrences, and near-misses to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) or relevant enforcing authority.
What Is RIDDOR?
Key Takeaways
- ✓RIDDOR stands for the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013, which replaced the original 1995 regulations and their amendments.
- ✓It requires employers, self-employed people, and those in control of premises to report specified workplace incidents to the HSE or local authority enforcing the regulations.
- ✓Not every workplace injury needs reporting. RIDDOR has specific thresholds and categories that determine what qualifies as a reportable event.
- ✓Failure to report under RIDDOR is a criminal offence that can result in unlimited fines and, in serious cases, imprisonment.
- ✓RIDDOR data feeds into national statistics that shape workplace safety policy, enforcement priorities, and industry guidance across Great Britain.
RIDDOR is the legal mechanism that tells the UK government what's going wrong in workplaces. When someone dies at work, suffers a specified injury, contracts a reportable occupational disease, or when a dangerous occurrence takes place, the employer must report it to the HSE. The system serves two purposes. First, it triggers potential investigation by HSE inspectors, who can then determine whether the incident resulted from safety failures that need correcting. Second, it builds the national dataset of workplace injuries and incidents that informs policy decisions, enforcement campaigns, and sector-specific guidance. RIDDOR applies across Great Britain (England, Scotland, and Wales). Northern Ireland has its own equivalent regulations. The reporting obligation sits with the 'responsible person,' which is typically the employer, the self-employed individual, or the person in control of the premises where the incident occurred. For HR professionals, understanding RIDDOR isn't optional. You're often the person who has to decide whether an injury meets the reporting threshold, ensure the report gets filed on time, and maintain the records that prove compliance.
What Must Be Reported Under RIDDOR
RIDDOR defines five categories of reportable events. Understanding which incidents fall into these categories is the most critical part of compliance.
| Category | Definition | Reporting Deadline | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deaths | Death of any person arising from a work-related accident | Immediately (by phone) + written report within 10 days | Fatal fall from height, fatal machinery contact, fatal vehicle incident on site |
| Specified injuries | Serious injuries to workers as defined in Regulation 4 | Within 10 days online or by phone | Fractures (excluding fingers/thumbs/toes), amputation, crush injuries to head/torso, burns requiring hospital admission, permanent loss of sight, scalping |
| Over-7-day incapacitation | Worker absent or unable to perform normal duties for more than 7 consecutive days | Within 15 days of the incident | Back injury preventing work for 10 days, knee injury requiring 2 weeks off, severe sprain causing 8+ days absence |
| Non-fatal injuries to non-workers | Injuries to members of the public or visitors requiring hospital treatment | Within 10 days | Customer slips in shop and is taken to A&E, visitor struck by falling object on construction site |
| Reportable occupational diseases | Diagnosed conditions listed in Schedule 1 of the Regulations | Within 10 days of diagnosis | Occupational asthma, carpal tunnel syndrome, hand-arm vibration syndrome, occupational dermatitis, tendonitis |
| Dangerous occurrences | Near-misses and dangerous events listed in Schedule 2 | Within 10 days | Collapse of scaffolding, accidental release of biological agents, electrical short circuit causing fire, collapse of a building or structure |
How to Report Under RIDDOR
The HSE has simplified RIDDOR reporting into two channels. Knowing which to use and when is essential for compliance.
Online reporting
Most reports should be filed through the HSE's online RIDDOR reporting form at riddor.hse.gov.uk. The form takes about 15 minutes to complete and generates a reference number on submission. This is the preferred method for all non-fatal incidents, including specified injuries, over-7-day incapacitation, occupational diseases, dangerous occurrences, and non-worker injuries requiring hospital treatment.
Telephone reporting (fatalities and major incidents only)
Deaths and incidents with an immediate risk of further harm must be reported by telephone to the HSE Incident Contact Centre (0345 300 9923). This triggers an immediate response so inspectors can attend the scene if needed. A written follow-up report must still be filed within 10 days after the phone notification.
Record-keeping requirements
Employers must keep records of all RIDDOR reports for at least 3 years from the date of the incident. The records should include the date and method of reporting, the details of the injured person, the nature of the injury or dangerous occurrence, and the circumstances of the incident. Many organisations maintain a RIDDOR register alongside their general accident book.
Common RIDDOR Reporting Mistakes
HSE inspectors regularly encounter the same reporting errors during inspections. Avoiding these saves time, money, and potential enforcement action.
Counting the 7 days incorrectly
The over-7-day rule counts calendar days, not working days. The count starts the day after the accident and includes weekends, rest days, and holidays. It doesn't include the day of the accident itself. An employee injured on Monday who returns to full duties the following Tuesday has been incapacitated for 7 days, which isn't reportable. If they return on Wednesday, that's 8 days, and it is reportable.
Under-reporting occupational diseases
Many employers don't realize that certain diagnosed conditions require RIDDOR reporting. If a doctor tells you an employee has developed carpal tunnel syndrome, occupational asthma, or hand-arm vibration syndrome linked to their work activities, that's a reportable event. The trigger is the diagnosis combined with the work connection, not a specific incident date.
Failing to report non-worker injuries
When a member of the public is injured on your premises and taken directly to hospital for treatment, that's reportable under RIDDOR. This catches many retail, hospitality, and leisure businesses off guard. A customer who slips on a wet floor and goes to A&E triggers a reporting obligation.
Not reporting dangerous occurrences without injury
RIDDOR requires reporting certain near-misses even when nobody gets hurt. A scaffold collapse, an uncontrolled release of a hazardous substance, or a structural failure must be reported regardless of whether anyone was injured. These reports help the HSE identify systemic risks before they cause fatalities.
RIDDOR Non-Compliance Penalties
Failing to report under RIDDOR is a criminal offence. The enforcement approach has changed over the years, but the consequences remain serious.
RIDDOR Reports vs the Accident Book
There's frequent confusion between RIDDOR reporting and recording incidents in the workplace accident book. They're separate obligations that serve different purposes.
| Feature | RIDDOR Report | Accident Book Entry |
|---|---|---|
| Legal basis | Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 | Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1979 |
| Who it goes to | HSE or local authority | Stays with the employer (internal record) |
| What gets recorded | Only reportable incidents meeting RIDDOR thresholds | All workplace accidents, however minor |
| Purpose | Inform the regulator, trigger potential investigation | Record for employer liability, insurance, and employee benefit claims |
| Threshold | Specific categories: deaths, specified injuries, 7+ day absence, diseases, dangerous occurrences | Any accident resulting in injury or ill health at work |
| Data protection | Report redacted from GDPR subject access requests if it would prejudice an investigation | Must comply with GDPR (use BI 510 accident book with detachable forms) |
| Retention period | At least 3 years | At least 3 years |
RIDDOR Best Practices for HR Teams
Managing RIDDOR compliance well goes beyond just filing reports. These practices protect your organisation and your employees.
- Train line managers to recognize reportable incidents. Most RIDDOR failures happen because the person closest to the incident didn't realize it met the reporting threshold.
- Create a clear internal escalation process. Every workplace injury should be assessed against RIDDOR criteria within 24 hours, not at the end of the month when someone reviews the accident book.
- Set a calendar reminder for the 7-day mark after every absence-causing injury. If the employee hasn't returned to full normal duties by day 8, file the report.
- Keep a RIDDOR register separate from your general accident book. This makes it easy to demonstrate compliance during HSE inspections.
- Review your RIDDOR data quarterly to identify patterns. Three over-7-day back injuries in the warehouse within six months tells you something about manual handling practices.
- Don't confuse 'reporting' with 'admitting fault.' A RIDDOR report is a legal notification, not an admission of liability. Failing to report creates more legal risk than reporting does.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does RIDDOR apply to work-from-home employees?
Do I need to report a road traffic accident involving an employee?
What if an employee doesn't tell me about an injury until weeks later?
Are stress-related absences reportable under RIDDOR?
Does RIDDOR apply in Northern Ireland?
Written by Adithyan RK