RIDDOR, or the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations, is a set of regulations in the United Kingdom that determine how employers must record and report incidents in the workplace and how to respond to them. The regulations were first introduced in 1995 (coming into force in 1996) and were revised and updated in 2013.
RIDDOR is based upon a scheme that is both standardised and legally enforceable, meaning that all employers must adhere to the regulations. Under the scheme, specific incidents must be reported to the relevant enforcing authority (usually the Health and Safety Executive). This includes incidents that occur to employees, members of the public in the workplace, and self-employed contractors in the workplace.
The requirement to record all accidents falls under Social Security regulations, not health and safety law however, RIDDOR does require employers to record: reportable incidents, reportable medical diagnoses and injuries resulting in an employee being unable to work for more than three consecutive days.
Records kept must include: the date and time of the accident or dangerous occurrence, the full name, status and injury details of the person, the place where the accident (or dangerous occurrence) happened, a description of the circumstances. For occupational diseases, additional information must be recorded.
The incidents that must be reported under RIDDOR include fatalities, specified injuries and other dangerous occurrences and notifiable occupational diseases. An employer also has to report injuries resulting in an employee being unable to work for more than seven consecutive days. These events must be reported to the enforcing authority within the required timeframe so that they can properly investigate the incident.
It is important for employers to adhere to RIDDOR, as failure to do so may result in charges and fines from the HSE.
In summary, RIDDOR is an important set of regulations that all employers must follow in order to maintain a safe and healthy workplace. The regulations require employers to report specific incidents, as well as keeping a record of a wider range of accidents, occupational diseases and dangerous occurrences in the workplace. It is the responsibility of employers to ensure that their workplace is compliant with RIDDOR in order to avoid fines or prosecution.