RIDDOR – Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013

What is RIDDOR?

RIDDOR is a 2013 statutory instrument of the parliament of the United Kingdom.

It regulates the statutory obligation to report death, injuries, diseases and dangerous occurrences including near misses,that take place at work or in connection with work

This requires responsible persons to report death, major injuries from accidents at work and dangerous occurrence.

Breach of regulation is a crime. Either and individual or organization can be punished.

 

Who is responsible person?

  • Employers
  • Managers
  • Occupiers of premises
  • Employee

 

Types of reportable incidents

  1. The death of any person – all death of workers and non-workers, must be reported if they arise from a work related accident, including an act of physical violence to a worker.
  2. Specified injuries to the workers. Please see the lists of specified injuries in RIDDOR 2013
  3. Over 7 day incapacitation of a worker – Any injuries resulting in a employee being away from work more than 7 consecutive days as the result of their injury. This must be reported within 15 days.
  4. Over-three-day injuries – An over-3-day injury is one which is not “major” but results in the injured person being away from work OR unable to do their full range of their normal duties for more than three days.
  5. Non fatal accidents to members of the public
  6. Occupationa disease- employers and self-employed people must report diagnoses of certain occupational diseases, where they are likely to have been caused or made worse by their work

 

Specified injuries in RIDDOR 2013

  • Fracture, other than to fingers, thumbs and toes
  • Amputation
  • Dislocation of the shoulder, hip, knee or spine
  • Any crush injury to the head or torse causing damage to the brain or internal organs
  • Serious burn that covers 10% of the body
  • 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 disease

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: (doctor to notify employer in writing)

  • 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.

Confidentiality

There may be circumstances when it would be inappropriate to disclose information about an employee’s condition or to pass it on to their employer. The reporting system introduced by RIDDOR ’95 contains nothing to alter this aspect of the normal ethical considerations in the doctor-patient relationship. However, in such circumstances the doctor, with the patient’s agreement, might be prepared to pass information to another practitioner either in an occupational health service (where one exists at the employee’s place of work) or direct to HSE’s Employment Medical Advisory Service.

The Employment Medical Advisory Service is also available to answer questions on the reporting of diseases or any other aspects of occupational ill-health (for addresses and telephone numbers).

Doctors are encouraged to consider the possibility of links between the ailments presented by patients and the health risks associated with the types of work they do.