HSE updates RIDDOR guidance

RIDDOR is the law that requires employers, and other people in charge of work premises to report and keep records of all work-related fatalities, work-related injuries, diagnosed cases of reportable occupational diseases, certain dangerous occurrences (incidents with the potential to cause harm). 

The purpose of RIDDOR is to inform the relevant enforcing authority that a work-related accident or incident has happened. This is so either HSE or the local authority can respond to ensure compliance with health and safety law.

There are no changes to legal requirements, but the guidance will help you understand how and when you should submit a report under RIDDOR. 

The improvements are based on feedback gathered from stakeholders who felt the guidance was unclear in some places, particularly around reporting occupational diseases and dangerous occurrences. 

Stakeholders also felt the online reporting forms were hard to follow and would benefit from improved guidance. 

Main changes to the guidance include: 

• more direct links to guidance on the various types of reportable incidents to help you decide whether a report is required 

• improved guidance on who should and should not report under RIDDOR 

• improved guidance on what is meant by a ‘work-related’ accident 

• information on when an occupational disease is not reportable 

• increased clarity on when an ‘over-7-day’ absence should be reported 

Main changes to the online forms include: 

• reordering the questions to bring questions about the ‘severity of injuries’ to the beginning. This will help you quickly decide if your incident is reportable 

• pop-up messages will now redirect you if the incident is not reportable 

• guidance has been improved throughout the forms to make them easier to use 

• injured or affected people now have an increased number of options when completing the gender field 

For the complete updated guidance on RIDDOR visit HSE’s website.