INTRODUCTION

For most businesses a reportable accident, dangerous occurrence or case of disease is a comparatively rare event. However, employers, self-employed or persons in control of work premises should be aware that they still have duties under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR’95). The free booklet HSE 31 [RIDDOR Explained] contains a summary of the main requirements and a pro-forma copy of a report form that can be photocopied for use as necessary. The booklet could be kept handy in case you need to make a report.

Information from reported accidents etc. enables enforcing authorities to identify where and how risks arise and to investigate accidents as considered appropriate.

WHEN TO ACT?

Death or Major Injury

If there is an accident connected with work and:

• your employee, or a self-employed person working on your premises, is killed or suffers a major injury (including the result of physical violence); or
• a member of the public is killed or taken to hospital;

You must notify the enforcing authority without delay (e.g. by telephone). They will ask for brief details about your business, the injured person and the accident; and

• within ten days you must follow this up with a completed accident report form (F2508). This can be via the Incident Contact Centre, see below.

Over-three-day injury

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 send a completed accident report form (F2508) to the enforcing authority within ten days. This can be via the incident Contact Centre (see below). 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 their normal work for more than three days (including non-work days).

Disease

If a doctor notifies you in writing that your employee suffers from a reportable work-related disease then you must send a completed disease report form (F2508A) to the enforcing authority. A self employed person notified verbally by his/her doctor that they are suffering from a reportable work related disease is obliged to report the matter to their enforcing authority. A summary of the reportable diseases is given later.

Dangerous Occurrence

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 (e.g. by telephone). A summary of the reportable dangerous occurrences is given later.

Within ten days you must follow this up with a completed accident report form  (F2508). This can be via the Incident Contact Centre.

What if I’m self-employed?

If you are working in someone else’s premises and suffer either a major injury or an injury which means you cannot do your normal work for more than three days, then they will be responsible for reporting, so, where possible, you should make sure they know about it.

If you or a member of the public is injured while you are working on your own premises, or if there is a dangerous occurrence there, or if a doctor tells you that you have a work-related disease or condition, then you need to report it. However, as a self-employed person you don’t need to notify immediately if you suffer a major injury on your own premises. Either you or someone acting for you should send in a report form within 10 days.

Who do I report to?

You have the option of reporting to the Incident Contact Centre or direct to your enforcing authority.

You can report to the Incident Contact Centre via a number of methods:

If your business is office-based, retail or wholesale, warehousing, hotel and catering, sports or leisure, residential accommodation (excluding nursing homes) or concerned with places of worship you may alternatively report direct to the local authority .

Keeping records

Appropriate records must be kept, for example by keeping copies of completed F2508/ F2508A report forms or recording the details on a computer.

What are reportable major injuries?

• fracture other than to fingers, thumbs or 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 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.

What are reportable dangerous occurrences?

From the complete list, those most likely to be of relevance in the local authority enforced sector include:-

(i)collapse, overturning or failure of load bearing parts of lifts and lifting equipment

(ii)explosion, collapse or bursting of any closed vessel or associated pipework

(iii)electrical short ciruit or overload causing fire or explosion

(iv)unintended collapse of any building or structure under construction, alteration or demolition where over 5 tonnes of material falls a wall or floor in any place of work or any false-work.

(v)accidental release of any substance which may damage health

NB - THE FULL LIST CAN BE FOUND IN LEAFLET HSE31 OR IN THE GUIDE TO REGULATIONS.

What are reportable diseases?

These include certain poisonings, some skin diseases such as occupational dermatitis, skin cancer, oil folliculitis/acne, lung diseases including occupational asthma, asbestosis and mesothelioma, certain infections (e.g. leptospirosis) and other conditions (e.g. occupational cancer, certain musculoskeletal disorders).

NB - THE FULL LIST CAN BE FOUND IN THE GUIDE TO THE REGULATIONS

CHECKLIST - ACCIDENT REPORTING (RIDDOR)

REFERENCES/FURTHER DETAILS

Publications

1. HSE RIDDOR website

*Available to view by prior arrangement at your Local Authority Environmental Health Department .

2. A guide to the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 - L73(HSE) ISBN 0 7176 2431 5

*Free copy available from your Local Authority Environmental Health Department.

Copy of an Accident Reporting Form(, 67Kb)