RIDDOR Reporting: When & How to Report Workplace Incidents UK

Quick Answer: What Is RIDDOR?

RIDDOR stands for the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013. These regulations require UK employers (and other responsible persons) to report certain workplace accidents, occupational diseases, and dangerous occurrences to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) or, in some sectors, the relevant local authority.

RIDDOR reports help the HSE and local authorities identify trends, investigate serious incidents, and target enforcement activity. Failure to report is a criminal offence.

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What Must Be Reported Under RIDDOR?

1. Deaths

All work-related deaths must be reported immediately. This includes:

• Deaths of employees resulting from work activities
• Deaths of non-employees (members of the public, visitors, contractors) arising from work activities
• Deaths occurring within one year of a reportable workplace injury

2. Specified Injuries (Employees Only)

The following injuries to employees must be reported:

3. Over-7-Day Incapacitation (Employees Only)

If an employee is incapacitated for more than 7 consecutive days (not counting the day of the accident) as a result of a workplace injury, this must be reported. The employee does not need to be absent from work -- if they attend but cannot perform their normal duties for over 7 days, it is still reportable.

Reporting deadline: within 15 days of the accident.

4. Non-Fatal Injuries to Non-Workers

If a member of the public, visitor, customer, or other non-employee is injured as a result of your work activity and is taken directly to hospital for treatment, this must be reported.

5. Occupational Diseases

Certain occupational diseases must be reported when:

• A doctor notifies the employer that an employee has been diagnosed, AND
• The disease is linked to their work activity

Reportable diseases include:

6. Dangerous Occurrences

Certain near-miss events must be reported even if no one was injured, because they had the potential to cause serious harm. These include:

• Collapse, overturning, or failure of lifting equipment (cranes, hoists, scaffolding)
• Explosions or fires that halt normal work for over 24 hours
• Electrical incidents causing fire or explosion
• Release of flammable or toxic substances
• Collapse of buildings or structures (including excavations and formwork)
• Overhead line contact with mobile plant
• Freight container incidents at docks
• Pipeline failures
• Radiation incidents
• Well or pipeline blow-outs in the extractive industries

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Who Must Report?

The responsible person for RIDDOR reporting is:

• The employer for injuries/diseases affecting employees
• The person in control of the premises for incidents affecting non-workers
• The mine operator for mining incidents
• The quarry operator for quarry incidents

In shared workplaces, the duty falls on whoever controls the activity that led to the incident.

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How to Report

Online Reporting (Standard Method)

Most RIDDOR reports must be submitted online through the HSE website at www.hse.gov.uk/riddor/report.htm. There are separate forms for:

1. Report of an injury
2. Report of a dangerous occurrence
3. Report of a case of disease
4. Report of a flammable gas incident
5. Report of a dangerous gas fitting

Telephone Reporting (Fatalities and Serious Incidents Only)

Fatal and specified injuries must be reported immediately by telephone to the HSE's Incident Contact Centre on 0345 300 9923 (opening hours: Monday to Friday 8:30-17:00). Out of hours, the duty officer can be reached via the same number.

After telephoning, a written report must follow within 10 days.

Reporting Deadlines Summary

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Record Keeping

Employers must keep records of all RIDDOR-reportable incidents for at least 3 years from the date of the incident. Records must include:

• Date and time of the accident or dangerous occurrence
• Details of the person(s) affected (name, occupation, nature of injury/disease)
• Place where the accident happened
• A brief description of the circumstances
• The date reported to the HSE and the method of reporting

The online reporting system generates a copy of the report which can be saved as the record. Many employers also maintain an accident book (using the HSE's BI 510 format or equivalent) for all workplace injuries, not just RIDDOR-reportable ones.

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Common Reporting Mistakes

1. Not reporting over-7-day injuries -- this is the most commonly missed category. Remember: 7 consecutive calendar days of incapacitation (not absence), excluding the day of injury
2. Confusing the 7-day rule with absence -- the employee does not have to be off work. If they attend but cannot do their normal duties for over 7 days, it is still reportable
3. Not reporting non-worker injuries -- if a member of the public is taken to hospital as a direct result of your work activity, this must be reported
4. Late reporting -- specified injuries and fatalities must be reported immediately by phone, not just online
5. Not recognising dangerous occurrences -- near-miss events that had the potential for serious harm are reportable even if no one was hurt
6. Reporting minor injuries -- cuts, bruises, and minor injuries that do not meet the specified injury criteria do NOT need to be reported under RIDDOR (though they should be recorded internally)

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RIDDOR and Insurance

RIDDOR reports are not the same as employers' liability insurance claims, but they are often connected. A RIDDOR report does not create an automatic insurance claim, and making an insurance claim does not satisfy the RIDDOR reporting duty. Both must be handled separately.

Insurance companies may, however, request copies of RIDDOR reports when processing claims for workplace injuries.

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Penalties for Non-Compliance

Failure to report under RIDDOR is a criminal offence. Penalties include:

• Fines: unlimited in the Crown Court, up to £20,000 in the Magistrates' Court
• Imprisonment: up to 2 years for serious breaches
• HSE investigation: failure to report may trigger a wider investigation into your health and safety management

The HSE takes non-reporting seriously because unreported incidents undermine the national picture of workplace safety and prevent targeted enforcement.

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How Grove HR Supports RIDDOR Compliance

• Incident recording -- log workplace incidents and injuries against employee records
• Absence tracking -- automatically flag absences exceeding 7 days for RIDDOR review
• Document storage -- store RIDDOR report copies, investigation records, and corrective actions
• Audit trail -- maintain a complete record of incidents and reports for HSE inspections
• Training records -- track first aid and incident reporting training for managers and supervisors