RIDDOR Explained: Are You Meeting Your Legal Duty as a UK Employer?

RIDDOR reporting made simple

Picture this. A slip in the warehouse. A weekend gas call-out. Your phone lights up and the team asks if it needs RIDDOR reporting. You need a quick, confident answer. This guide breaks down RIDDOR reporting in simple steps so you protect people, meet your duties, and keep the HSE happy.

> Short answer: RIDDOR reporting is the legal duty to report certain work-related accidents, diseases, and dangerous occurrences to the HSE. It applies across Great Britain.

What is RIDDOR reporting?

RIDDOR stands for Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013. RIDDOR reporting covers serious accidents, specified injuries, diagnosed occupational diseases, set "near miss" events, and some gas incidents. It is a legal requirement. It also creates national data that drives prevention.

• HSE puts it plainly: "RIDDOR puts duties on employers, the self-employed and people in control of work premises to report and record certain serious workplace accidents, occupational diseases and specified dangerous occurrences." (Source: HSE RIDDOR guidance)

What does RIDDOR stand for?

• Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013
• It applies to every workplace in Great Britain

Who is the responsible person?

• Employers and those in control of work premises make RIDDOR reporting
• Self-employed on a client site: the client reports
• Self-employed on your own premises: you report
• Employees do not report to HSE, but they must raise concerns internally fast

What is reportable under RIDDOR reporting?

Think in five buckets. If in doubt, check the HSE examples page and call for advice before the clock runs out.

Injuries and ill health

• Deaths and specified injuries, for example fractures other than fingers, thumbs and toes, amputations, loss or reduction of sight, crush injuries to internal organs, serious burns
• Over-seven-day injuries, where normal work is not possible for more than 7 consecutive days after the accident, not counting the day of the accident
• Occupational diseases with a written diagnosis, for example carpal tunnel syndrome, occupational dermatitis, hand-arm vibration syndrome, occupational asthma, tendonitis

> ACAS reminds employers: "You must keep an accident book by law." Good records support correct RIDDOR decisions.

Source: ACAS, Accident reporting.

Dangerous occurrences and gas incidents

• Dangerous occurrences are specified near-miss events with high harm potential, for example scaffold collapse, failure of a pressure system, certain electrical faults
• Gas incidents found by registered gas engineers, for example unsafe appliances or fittings

RIDDOR reporting deadlines and how to file

Speed matters. Set one simple rule in your business: log the incident, assess against RIDDOR criteria, and submit if required.

Time limits at a glance

• Deaths, specified injuries, dangerous occurrences: as soon as possible, no later than 10 days
• Over-seven-day injuries: within 15 days of the incident
• Occupational diseases: without delay once a written diagnosis is received

Where to report

• Use the online forms at the HSE portal: https://www.hse.gov.uk/riddor/report.htm
• For fatal, specified injuries, and dangerous occurrences only, you can also call 0345 300 9923, Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm

Records, policies and training that back up RIDDOR reporting

Solid basics save you stress on a busy Monday morning. Keep it simple, repeatable, and visible.

Record keeping rules

• Keep an accident book on site and in active use
• Keep RIDDOR records for at least 3 years from the last entry
• Treat records as confidential and store them securely under data protection rules
• Health and safety software helps. A disciplined spreadsheet or paper system can work if kept current

Train, brief and test the process

• Name your responsible person for RIDDOR reporting and publish the steps
• Brief managers and supervisors. Teach what to report and when to escalate
• Run a short tabletop drill twice a year. Ten minutes with a brew, job done

Updates to guidance and what might change next

You asked for clearer forms, the HSE listened. Recent tweaks help you get to the right decision faster.

2024 form and guidance changes

• Clearer links to examples of reportable incidents
• Better guidance on who should report under RIDDOR reporting
• Clearer test of "work related"
• More detail on when a disease is not reportable
• A tidy-up on over-seven-day absence triggers
• Online forms front-load severity questions and show pop-ups if your case is not reportable

The 2026 consultation, have your say

• HSE is consulting on modernising parts of the regulations, for example updating dangerous occurrence lists and conditions linked to work-related ill health
• Closing date noted as 30 June 2026. Employers, duty holders, the self-employed, and health professionals are encouraged to respond
• Keep an eye on the HSE site for final decisions and dates

Quick checklist and common myths

Time for brass tacks. Here is your go-to list, plus a little myth busting.

7 quick actions for confident RIDDOR reporting

1. Add RIDDOR reporting steps to your Health and Safety policy and make it easy to find

2. Name a responsible person and a deputy, share contact details

3. Set a same-day internal escalation rule for any serious incident

4. Use the HSE examples page before you submit

5. Track deadlines with calendar reminders, then submit and file the receipt

6. Review near misses monthly to spot patterns

7. Book a short refresher briefing every 6 months

Mythbuster parade

• "First aid only, so never RIDDOR." False. Severity and outcomes matter, not just treatment
• "It happened in the car park, so it does not count." Not always. Work-related tests still apply
• "Employees must report to HSE themselves." False. That is on the responsible person
• "If in doubt, do not report." Risky. Check the guidance, log advice, and submit when required
• "If it was the employee's fault, we don't have to report it." False. Fault/blame is separate. Reporting is about what happened and whether it meets the criteria.
• "They didn't take time off, so it can't be RIDDOR." False. Some things are reportable even without absence, and some become reportable based on the type of injury/outcome, not whether they had a day off.
• "If they didn't go to hospital, it's not reportable." False. Hospital treatment is relevant in some situations, but plenty of reportable injuries don't involve a hospital trip.

Why this matters, with data

The human and financial costs are real. Latest HSE statistics show significant harm and lost time each year across Great Britain. Check the HSE statistics portal for the current year's totals for fatalities, RIDDOR-reported injuries, days lost, and the annual cost of work-related injury and ill health. (Source: HSE, Health and safety statistics)

As an employer, getting RIDDOR reporting right protects people, reduces risk, and gives you clear evidence if the HSE ever calls. Good ethics, good business.

Need a hand?

If you want a quick sense check of your accident process or you are writing your first RIDDOR reporting procedure, we can help. Our HR Protect and HR Business Partner plans include policy drafting, manager briefings, and system setup. You can also start with a free HR Health Check to see where you stand.

• Talk to us about Outsourced HR and compliance support: https://www.kateunderwoodhr.co.uk/
• Book your Free HR Health Check
• Explore HR Protect monthly support
• Breathe HR setup and training

Kettle On, Standards Up. And as always, keep buzzing and take care of your people!

Sources and further reading

• HSE, Report a work-related accident, disease or dangerous occurrence under RIDDOR: https://www.hse.gov.uk/riddor/report.htm
• HSE, RIDDOR guidance and examples: https://www.hse.gov.uk/riddor/
• HSE, Health and safety statistics: https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/
• ACAS, Accident reporting: https://www.acas.org.uk/accident-reporting

FAQ

• What is RIDDOR reporting in simple terms?

- It is the legal duty to report certain work-related accidents, diseases, and dangerous occurrences to the HSE using set forms and time limits.

• What counts as a specified injury for RIDDOR reporting?

- Fractures other than fingers, thumbs and toes, amputations, loss or reduction of sight, serious burns, and crush injuries to internal organs.

• Do I need to report over-7-day absences under RIDDOR reporting?

- Yes. If a worker cannot do their normal job for more than 7 consecutive days after the accident, report within 15 days.

• Who files the RIDDOR reporting for contractors?

- The responsible person in control of the premises. If you are self-employed on your own premises, you file it.

• Can an employee report to HSE under RIDDOR?

- No. Employees raise it internally. The responsible person submits the official report.

• How long must I keep RIDDOR records?

- At least 3 years from the last entry, stored securely.