What is RIDDOR?
RIDDOR stands for the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013. It's the law that requires employers, the self employed, and people in control of work premises to report certain serious workplace incidents to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
But here's where many employers struggle: knowing exactly what must be reported and what doesn't. Report too little and you're breaking the law. Report every minor incident and you're wasting time on unnecessary paperwork. Getting RIDDOR reporting right matters â failures can result in prosecution, and patterns of unreported incidents may indicate systemic safety failures.
Who has RIDDOR reporting duties?
The "responsible person" for RIDDOR reporting depends on who was affected and where the incident occurred. For most employers, this means you're responsible for reporting incidents involving your own employees, and incidents involving anyone else that occur on premises you control.
What incidents require RIDDOR reporting?
RIDDOR covers four main categories of reportable incidents. Understanding each category prevents both under reporting and unnecessary reports.
1. Deaths
All work related deaths must be reported, whether the person who died was an employee, contractor, or member of the public. "Work related" means the death arose from or in connection with work activities.
Reporting deadline: Immediately by telephone, followed by a written report within 10 days.
2. Specified injuries to workers
Certain serious injuries to employees and self employed workers require reporting. These include fractures (except to fingers, thumbs, and toes), amputations, permanent loss of sight, crush injuries leading to internal organ damage, serious burns covering more than 10% of the body, and loss of consciousness caused by head injury or asphyxia.
Reporting deadline: Without delay, ideally within 10 days of the incident.
3. Over 7 day incapacitation of workers
When a worker is incapacitated for more than seven consecutive days (not counting the day of the accident), the incident becomes reportable. "Incapacitation" means unable to do their normal work â it doesn't require complete absence from work.
Reporting deadline: Within 15 days of the incident.
This is where many employers slip up. An employee might return to work on "light duties" but if they can't perform their normal role for over seven days, that's reportable.
4. Injuries to non workers requiring hospital treatment
When a member of the public, customer, or service user is injured at your premises and taken directly to hospital for treatment, the incident is reportable.
Reporting deadline: Within 10 days of the incident.
Reportable occupational diseases
Certain occupational diseases must be reported when a doctor notifies you that a worker has been diagnosed. These include carpal tunnel syndrome, occupational dermatitis, hand arm vibration syndrome, occupational asthma, and any occupational cancer.
Reporting deadline: Without delay once a written diagnosis is received.
Dangerous occurrences: near misses that must be reported
Some incidents are reportable even if nobody was injured. These "dangerous occurrences" had potential to cause serious harm. Examples include collapse of lifting equipment, contact with overhead power lines, explosions or fires causing work stoppage, and collapse of scaffolding more than 5 metres high.
Reporting deadline: Without delay, ideally within 10 days.
Explore the platform: MyRiskLog helps you categorise incidents and identify which require RIDDOR reporting.
What doesn't need RIDDOR reporting
Understanding what's not reportable is just as important. These common incidents don't require RIDDOR reports:
- Injuries that don't meet specified injury criteria (e.g., broken fingers and toes)
- Incapacitation of 7 days or fewer
- Road traffic accidents (unless involving construction or on private premises)
- Natural causes deaths unless work related
- Self harm injuries
- Injuries to members of public who weren't taken directly to hospital
However, even non reportable incidents should be recorded in your accident book and may warrant investigation.
How to make a RIDDOR report
All RIDDOR reports should be submitted through the HSE's online reporting system at www.hse.gov.uk/riddor/report.htm. Deaths and specified injuries can also be reported by telephone to the HSE Contact Centre on 0345 300 9923.
Information you'll need:
- Details of the injured person (name, occupation, nature of injury)
- Date, time and location of incident
- Description of what happened
- Details of immediate actions taken
- Name and contact details of the person making the report
Keep copies of all RIDDOR reports for at least three years.
Common RIDDOR reporting mistakes
Waiting too long to report
Reports have deadlines. Deaths and specified injuries should be reported immediately. Over 7 day injuries have a 15 day window. Late reporting is still better than no reporting, but demonstrates poor systems.
Confusing work related with at work
An incident happening at work isn't automatically work related. A heart attack at work caused by pre existing conditions isn't reportable. But a fall from faulty equipment is.
Not recognising incapacitation
Workers doing modified duties are still incapacitated if they can't do their normal job. Don't assume that because someone is at work, you don't need to report.
Record keeping requirements
Beyond RIDDOR reporting, employers must keep records of all reportable incidents, all accidents causing injury at work, and details of investigations and corrective actions. Records must be kept for at least three years.
See how it works: MyRiskLog maintains a complete audit trail of incidents, investigations, and RIDDOR submissions.
FAQs: RIDDOR reporting
What happens after I submit a RIDDOR report?
Most reports are logged and used for statistical monitoring. The HSE may contact you for more information or, in serious cases, conduct an investigation.
Can I be prosecuted for failing to report?
Yes. Failure to report a RIDDOR incident is a criminal offence. Penalties include fines and, in serious cases, imprisonment.
Does RIDDOR apply to home workers?
Yes, but in limited circumstances. If a home worker is injured doing a specific work activity, the incident may be reportable.
What about agency workers and contractors?
If an agency worker is injured, both the agency and the host business may have reporting duties. Agree in advance who will report to avoid gaps.
Building effective incident management
RIDDOR reporting is one element of broader incident management. The goal isn't just compliance â it's using incident data to prevent recurrence. Patterns in your incident logs often reveal systemic issues that, once addressed, significantly improve workplace safety.
Ready to improve your incident management? Join the Founding Partner waitlist to see how Compliance Cover streamlines incident recording, investigation workflows, and regulatory reporting.