Reporting of Injuries, Diseases & Dangerous Occurences - RIDDOR
Introduction
Over the last five years, accident reports sent to HSE and local authorities show that nearly 60 employees were killed and 5,000 seriously
injured in haulage and distribution - simply doing their job. Another 23,000 suffered injuries severe enough to keep them off work more
than three days. These figures take no account of work-related ill health - from bad backs or stress. This represents a higher rate
of accidents to employees than either construction or agriculture, both widely regarded as hazardous industries.
These figures are unaceptable in today's modern society where a plethora of regulation and procedural practice pervades in an industry that has introduced speed limiters, safer working practices, reduced working hours through the Road Transport WTD and equally so the EC Drivers Hours Rules (561/06). There's no such thing as an accident. A 'so called' accident is wholly down to the negligence of one or more individuals not adhering to sensible policy/procedure, which enevitably results in pain, suffering and unecessary cost for all involved. A little more thought, a lot less speed in the workplace and doing things properly rather than looking for short cuts will undoubtedly make for safer working and ultimately save lives.
- What is RIDDOR?
- What is reportable under RIDDOR?
- What is a reportable Disease or Occurence?
- When do I need to make a report?
- What records do I need to keep?
- Further Reading
What is RIDDOR?
RIDDOR stands for the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995, referred to as RIDDOR for short. These
Regulations came into force on 1 April 1996. The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR), place
a legal duty on:
- employers.
- self-employed people.
- people in control of premises.
As such, you are required under the regulations to report work-related deaths, major injuries or over-three-day injuries, work related diseases, and dangerous occurrences (near miss accidents). The easiest way to do this, is by calling the Incident Contact Centre (ICC) where you'll be sent a copy of the information recorded and you will be able to correct any errors or omissions.
Reporting accidents and ill health at work is a legal requirement. The information enables the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and local authorities, to identify where and how risks arise, and to investigate serious accidents. The enforcing authorities can then help you and provide advice on how to reduce injury, and ill health in your workplace.
What is reportable under RIDDOR?
As an employer, a person who is self-employed, or someone in control of work premises, you have legal duties under RIDDOR that require
you to report and record some work-related accidents by the quickest means possible. If there is an accident connected with work and
your employee, or a self-employed person working on the premises, or a member of the public is killed you must notify the enforcing
authority without delay. The procedure for reporting serious injuries at work is identical and should be followed in the same manner.
Reportable major injuries are:
- fracture, other than to fingers, thumbs and toes.
- amputation.
- dislocation of the shoulder, hip, knee or spine.
- loss of sight (temporary or permanent).
- chemical or hot metal burn to the eye or any penetrating injury to the eye.
- injury resulting from an electric shock or electrical burn leading to unconsciousness, or requiring resuscitation or admittance to hospital for more than 24 hours.
- any other injury: leading to hypothermia, heat-induced illness or unconsciousness; or requiring resuscitation; or requiring admittance to hospital for more than 24 hours.
- unconsciousness caused by asphyxia or exposure to harmful substance or biological agent.
- acute illness requiring medical treatment, or loss of consciousness arising from absorption of any substance by inhalation, ingestion or through the skin.
- acute illness requiring medical treatment where there is reason to believe that this resulted from exposure to a biological agent or its toxins or infected material.
- reportable over-three-day injuries.
If there is an accident connected with work (including an act of physical violence) and your employee, or a self-employed person
working on your premises, suffers an over-three-day injury you must report it to the enforcing authority within ten days.
An over-three-day injury is one which is not "major" but results in the injured person being away from work or unable to
do the full range of their normal duties for more than three days.
What is a reportable Disease or Occurence?
If a doctor notifies you that your employee suffers from a reportable work-related disease, then you must report it to the enforcing
authority. Reportable diseases include:
- certain poisonings.
- some skin diseases such as occupational dermatitis, skin cancer, chrome ulcer, oil folliculitis/acne.
- lung diseases including: occupational asthma, farmer's lung, pneumoconiosis, asbestosis, mesothelioma.
- infections such as: leptospirosis; hepatitis; tuberculosis; anthrax; legionellosis and tetanus.
- other conditions such as: occupational cancer; certain musculoskeletal disorders; decompression illness and hand-arm vibration syndrome.
If something happens which does not result in a reportable injury, but which clearly could have done, then it may be a dangerous occurrence which must be reported immediately and is referred to as a Reportable dangerous occurrence (near miss). Reportable dangerous occurrences are:
- collapse, overturning or failure of load-bearing parts of lifts and lifting equipment.
- explosion, collapse or bursting of any closed vessel or associated pipework.
- failure of any freight container in any of its load-bearing parts.
- plant or equipment coming into contact with overhead power lines.
- electrical short circuit or overload causing fire or explosion.
- any unintentional explosion, misfire, failure of demolition to cause the intended collapse, projection of material beyond a site boundary, injury caused by an explosion
- accidental release of a biological agent likely to cause severe human illness.
- failure of industrial radiography or irradiation equipment to de-energise or return to its safe position after the intended exposure period.
- malfunction of breathing apparatus while in use or during testing immediately before use.
When do I need to make a report?
Although the Regulations specify varying timescales for reporting different types of incidents, it is report the incident as soon as
possible by calling the Incident Contact Centre. In cases of death, major injury, or dangerous occurrences, you must notify the enforcing
authority without delay.
Cases of over-three-day injuries must be notified within ten days of the incident occurring.
Cases of disease should be reported as soon as a doctor notifies you that your employee suffers from a reportable work-related disease.
What records do I need to keep?
You must keep a record of any reportable injury, disease or dangerous occurrence. This must include:
- the date and method of reporting.
- the date, time and place of the event.
- personal details of those involved.
- a brief description of the nature of the event or disease.
You can keep the record in any form you wish. You could, for example, choose to keep your records by:
- keeping copies of report forms in a file.
- recording the details on a computer.
- using your Accident Book entry.
- maintaining a written log.
If you choose to report the incident by telephone or through the HSE web site, the ICC will send you a copy of the record held within the
database. You will be able to request amendments to the record if you feel the report is not fully accurate.
The ICC is a 'one-stop' reporting service for work-related health and safety incidents in the UK. It was established on 1
April 2001 and is primarily a call centre, open from Monday to Friday between 8:30am and 5:00pm. If you wish to speak to an ICC operator,
just call 0845 300 99 23. All information will remain confidential.
Further Reading
For further information pertaining to RIDDOR, please use the links below.
