The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1985 (RIDDOR) came into effect in April 1986. These require injuries, diseases and occurrences in specified categories to be notified to the relevant enforcing authority.

Failure to comply is a criminal offence.

The following information is a summary of the requirements, but by no means a comprehensive or exhaustive statement of law.  More detailed information is provided in the HSE publication 'A guide to the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1985' HS(R) 23.  This is priced at £4.00.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Reporting injuries, diseases and dangerous occurrences allows the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to identify trends in frequency and causation and enables them to help and advise on suitable preventative action.

If you are an employer, self-employed or in control of work premises, you will have duties under the Regulations.

WHAT DO I HAVE TO REPORT?

Immediate Notification
You must notify the enforcing authority without delay, normally by a phone call, of the following:

• any fatal injuries to employees or other people in an accident connected with your business;
• any major injuries to employees or other people in an accident connected with your business;
• any of the dangerous occurrences listed in the Regulations

Reporting
You must also send a written report to the enforcing authority within seven days of any notifiable incident (a to c above) and also of:

• any other injury to an employee which results in their absence from work or being unable to do their normal work for more than three days (including days which would not normally be working days);
• any of the cases of ill health listed in the Regulations.

Report Forms
Form F2508 should be used for reporting injuries and dangerous occurrences.

Form F2508A should be used for cases of disease.

These are available from HSE Books.  You should obtain forms immediately to avoid any delay if a reportable case should occur.

You may also use authorised copies of these forms which have been generated by a computerised accident recording system.

Record Keeping
You must keep a record of any injury, occurrence or case of disease requiring report.  This should include the date, time and place, personal details of those involved and a brief description of the nature of the event.

TO WHOM DO I NOTIFY AND REPORT?

The area office of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).  A list of offices is provided with Information Sheet No 6.

TYPES OF INCIDENT REQUIRING REPORTING

For the purposes of reporting, the Regulations define major injuries, dangerous occurrences and diseases.

Major Injuries

• fracture of the skull, spine, pelvis and any bone in the arm or leg, but not bones in the hand or foot
• amputation of a hand or foot; or a finger, thumb or toe where the bone of a joint is completely severed
• loss of sight in an eye or a penetrating injury, or a chemical or hot metal burn to an eye
• injury requiring medical treatment or loss of consciousness due to electric shock
• loss of consciousness due to lack of oxygen
• decompression sickness
• acute illness or loss of consciousness caused by absorption of any substance
• acute illness believed to be the result of exposure to a pathogen or infected material
• any other injury which results in the person being admitted to hospital for more than 24 hours.

Dangerous Occurences

• the collapse, overturning or failure of a load bearing part of a lift, hoist, crane, derrick or mobile platform, or an excavator, or a pile-driving frame with an operating height of over seven metres
• the collapse or failure of a load bearing part of a passenger-carrying amusement device of any safety arrangement connected with it
• the explosion, collapse or bursting of any closed vessel
• electrical short circuit or overload causing fire or explosion
• any explosion or fire resulting in the suspension of normal work for more than 24 hours
• the sudden, uncontrolled release of one tonne or more of highly flammable liquid
• the collapse or partial collapse of any scaffold over five metres high
• any unintended collapse of any building or structure under construction, alteration or demolition involving a fall of more than five tonnes of material or of a wall or floor in a place of work
• an uncontrolled or accidental release or escape of any pathogen or substance from any apparatus or equipment
• any unintentional ignition or explosion of explosives
• failure of any freight container or a loadbearing part thereof
• bursting, explosion or collapse of a pipeline
• any incident in which a road tanker overturns or suffers serious damage, catches fire or causes the release of dangerous substances
• any incident in which a dangerous substance being conveyed by road is involved in a fire or where there is an uncontrolled release or escape of the dangerous substance
• any incident where breathing apparatus malfunctions in such a way as to deprive the wearer of oxygen
• any incident in which plant or equipment comes into contact with overhead power lines exceeding 200 volts
• any case of accidental collision between a locomotive and train or any other vehicle at a factory or dock which might have led to death or reportable injury.

Note:   Additional categories of dangerous occurrence apply to mines, quarries and railways.

Prescribed Diseases
The specific diseases to be notified are related to particular work activities listed in schedule 2 to the Regulations. The general diseases covered are:

• certain poisonings (a full list of the chemicals causing these conditions is produced in the guide)
• some skin diseases such as skin cancer, chrome ulcer, oil folliculitis/acne
• lung diseases including: occupational asthma, farmer's lung, pneumoconiosis, asbestosis, mesothelioma
• the following infections: leptospirosis; hepatitis; tuberculosis; anthrax; any illness caused by a pathogen
• any conditions such as: occupational cancer; cataracts; decompression sickness and vibration white finger.

Further information can be obtained from the Health and Safety Executive area offices. A full list is attached to Information Sheet No 6.

The Guild of Builders and Contractors is grateful to the HSE who are the source of much of the information provided.