The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) is a UK statutory instrument that mandates the reporting of specific workplace incidents.
Introduction to RIDDOR
The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) is a critical piece of legislation in the United Kingdom. It was introduced to ensure that serious workplace incidents are reported and subsequently investigated, with the aim of preventing similar occurrences in the future.
Historical Background
RIDDOR was first introduced in 1985, and has since undergone several revisions, with the most recent versions being implemented in 2013 for Great Britain and in 1997 for Northern Ireland. The regulations apply to all workplaces and work activities in the UK.
Key Requirements of RIDDOR
Under RIDDOR, the following incidents must be reported:
Deaths and Certain Types of Injuries
This includes any workplace accident that leads to an employee or self-employed person being away from work, or unable to perform their normal work duties, for more than seven consecutive days as the result of their injury.
Occupational Diseases
When a doctor diagnoses an employee or self-employed person with certain occupational diseases, these must be reported. This includes conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome, severe cramp of the hand or forearm, occupational dermatitis, hand-arm vibration syndrome, occupational asthma, tendonitis or tenosynovitis of the hand or forearm, any occupational cancer, any disease attributed to an occupational exposure to a biological agent.
Dangerous Occurrences
Certain, specified near-miss events must be reported. There are 27 categories of dangerous occurrences that are relevant to most workplaces, such as the collapse, overturning or failure of load-bearing parts of lifts and lifting equipment, accidental release of any substance which could cause injury to any person, electrical short circuit or overload causing fire or explosion, etc.
Gas Incidents
Gas Safe registered gas fitters must report dangerous gas fittings they find, and gas conveyors/suppliers must report some flammable gas incidents.
Reporting Under RIDDOR
Reports under RIDDOR are made to the relevant enforcing authority – either the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), local authorities, or the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR), depending on the nature of the business and the incident. Reports can be made online via the HSE website or by telephone for fatal and major injuries only.
In summary, RIDDOR is a crucial regulation that helps to maintain safety standards in UK workplaces by ensuring that serious incidents are reported and investigated. For more information, visit the HSE website or consult with a health and safety professional.
