What Is RIDDOR and Why Is It Important?
The field of health and safety in the workplace is filled with various abbreviations, acronyms, and other jargon, much of which relates to specific areas of legislation or guidance. One of the most common terms that gets bandied about is RIDDOR, but a surprisingly large number of employees (and even some employers) aren’t fully aware of what RIDDOR actually is or what their responsibilities are in relation to it.
In this article, we will give a basic overview of RIDDOR, detail what it is, how it impacts health and safety in the workplace, and why it’s so important.
What Is RIDDOR?
RIDDOR is an abbreviation of the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases, and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013, which forms part of UK health and safety legislation. It requires all companies to keep a record of and correctly report certain injuries and incidents in the workplace.
Why is RIDDOR Important?
In the 2021/22 reporting year, it was estimated that around 565,000 people in the UK suffered injuries at work, while about 1.8 million had contracted some form of work-related illness—that’s about 3.5% of the population in total.
RIDDOR doesn’t just provide a platform for reporting and recording such incidents; it also helps employees hold employers responsible for negligence or poor working behaviours. Failure to report can result in hefty fines for the employer concerned, so the existence of the legislation promotes better health and safety practises in many workplaces.
Who Is Responsible for Reporting Incidents?
Reports under RIDDOR are made by a ‘responsible person’. This will be someone designated at your company to report any work-related incidents to the HSE. Legally speaking, other employees are not required to report incidents under RIDDOR, even if they are witnesses to them. However, many companies expect their staff to report health and safety concerns directly to them to prevent future incidents from occurring.
What Should Be Reported Under RIDDOR Guidance?
The full list of reportable incidents can be found here but, as a general rule of thumb, you need to report any and all of the following:
- deaths in the workplace (excluding suicides)
- injuries in the workplace that result in an employee being off work or unable to fulfil their regular duties for seven consecutive days
- incidents in the workplace in which members of the public have been injured and taken to hospital
- specific injuries to employees. These include:
- fractures
- amputation
- loss or reduction of sight
- internal organ damage from crush injuries
- serious burns, including those that affect the respiratory system and eyes or that cover over 10% of the body
- scalpings
- head injuries or asphyxia resulting in unconsciousness
- occupational diseases. These include:
- severe hand or forearm cramp
- hand-arm vibration syndrome
- carpal tunnel syndrome
- tendonitis of the hand or forearm
- occupational dermatitis
- occupational asthma
- occupational cancer
- dangerous occurrences. These include:
- explosions or fire that resulted in work stopping for over 24 hours
- plant or equipment coming into contact with overhead power lines
- load-bearing parts of lifts and lifting equipment collapsing, overturning, or failing
- construction equipment falling over on the road, causing a hazard
- gas incidents
How Does RIDDOR Impact Health and Safety in the Workplace
The purpose of RIDDOR legislation is to enumerate and categorise incidences of injury, disease, and other dangerous occurrences in the workplace. This data is compiled by the UK government to identify national trends that help direct the government towards new H&S legislation.
In your own workplace, any RIDDOR incidents should also form part of your own health and safety strategy. Any kind of on-site accident that is serious enough to be reported under RIDDOR will certainly need to be included in your company records. If an incident is particularly serious or several employees are injured in similar circumstances, it may be worth conducting an independent risk assessment to determine the best way to protect your staff in the future.
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Get in touch
Here at Dromore Safety Services Ltd, we are passionate about all aspects of health and safety, and we can help you limit the number of incidents you need to report under RIDDOR in a variety of ways. From standard risk assessments to accreditation by leading industry bodies, call the team today to see what we can do for you. You can reach us on 07717 210 323 to discuss your particular circumstances, and we will put together an appropriate plan of action.
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