As the owner or manager of a business, you are responsible for ensuring that your operations are compliant and run smoothly. One such obligation falls under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR). These regulations outline the proper reporting procedures that must be followed in the event of any of the following four incidents:
- Accidents resulting in the death of any person
- Accidents resulting in specified injuries to workers
- Non-fatal accidents requiring hospital treatment to nonworkers
- Dangerous occurrences, which are defined as infrequent incidents with a high potential to cause death or serious injury
After an incident has occurred, you have 10 days to fill in and submit the appropriate form to the HSE. However, for cases of occupational diseases, you are required to turn in the corresponding form upon notification of the diagnosis. To review the list of available RIDDOR reports, you can visit www.hse.gov.uk/riddor/report.htm. However, remember that any incidents that occurred in Northern Ireland should be reported to HSE NI at www.hseni.gov.uk/contact-us/report-an-incident.htm.
For each RIDDOR report associated with an injury, three-day injury, disease or dangerous occurrence, you must keep a record of the incident. Rely on the following record-keeping methods:
- If you choose to submit the report online, a copy of the report will be emailed to the address you provide (Note: You will be offered the option to save and print your own copy of the form in addition to it being emailed to you).
- If you choose not to submit the report online, your record of the incident must include these four pieces of information:
- Date and method of reporting
- Date, time and place of the incident
- Personal details—name, age, occupation—of those involved in the incident
- A brief description of what occurred during the incident or the nature of the disease
- If your business is required to maintain an accident book (B1510) under Social Security Law, you are permitted to use the book to keep a record of incidents (Note: For incidents involving occupational disease, you will need a separate method of recording).
The HSE does not share any information that you supply in a RIDDOR form to your insurance company. Therefore, if the incident requires your insurer to be notified, contact them quickly in order to remain compliant. For more detailed RIDDOR guidance, visit www.hse.gov.uk/riddor/index.htm.
