RIDDOR – when to report an accident at work

By Ian Morris | Updated November 29th, 2022

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This article is for anyone who has been injured in an accident at work and wants to know whether or not their employer has properly reported and recorded the details. Specifically, whether or not the Health and Safety Executive should have been informed of under RIDDOR.

What is RIDDOR?

RIDDOR is a term relevant to accidents at work and stands for the ‘Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations’ 2013.

Administered by the Health and Safety Executive, RIDDOR obligates employers, the self-employed and organisations who manage or own premises to report accidents at work, serious injuries and specified incidents within the workplace.

There is no requirement for every accident, injury or incident in the workplace to be reported to RIDDOR as it only applies to the more serious ones, or where a person has been forced to be away from work for a set period of time.

Accidents or injuries that don’t have to be reported

Not all accidents at work or workplace injuries are RIDDOR reportable as there are criteria which have to be met regarding the nature and severity of the incident.

For example, injuries that lead to a worker having more than three consecutive days off must be recorded by the employer, but do not need to be reported. Employers must keep an accident book as a requirement of Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1979, and in these cases an accident book entry will be sufficient record.

There is also no need to make a RIDDOR report in cases where a worker is taken to hospital following an accident at work purely as a precaution.

Accidents or injuries that do have to be reported

Accidents must be reported to RIDDOR when a person is left unable to work (or perform their normal duties) for periods of seven consecutive days or more. The seven day period starts the day after an accident at work and does include weekends and rest days. In these cases, a RIDDOR report must be made within 15 days of the accident.

RIDDOR regulations require employers to report an accident or incident at work that leads to an employee sustaining an injury in the following circumstances:

  • The death of any employee or self-employed person as a result of an accident at work must be reported to RIDDOR. This requirement is also relevant if the death occurred as a result of an act of physical violence to a worker.
  • Bone fracture workplace injuries, other than to fingers, thumbs and toes.
  • Accidents that lead to amputations of limbs as a result of the incident or subsequent surgery.
  • Injury that to lead to loss of sight, whether permanent, temporary, full or partial.
  • Crush injuries to the head or torso that cause damage to the brain or internal organs.
  • Severe burn injuries (including scalding) that cover 10% or more of the body, that cause significant damage to the eyes, respiratory system or other vital organs.
  • Injuries causing scalping requiring hospital treatment.
  • Head injuries or asphyxia that result in a loss of consciousness.
  • Hypothermia or heat induced illnesses arising from working in enclosed spaces.
  • Any injury requiring resuscitation or admittance to hospital for more than 24 hours.

More information can be found on the Health & Safety executives website.

RIDDOR reporting for industrial diseases

For conditions commonly known as industrial diseases, including repetitive strain injuries, there can be a requirement to make a RIDDOR report where the condition was likely to have been caused or made worse by the work undertaken by that person.

In such cases, employers and self-employed workers have a responsibility to make a RIDDOR report for certain conditions, including:

Vibration White Finger or Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome
Occupational Dermatitis
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Occupational Asthma
Tendonitis or Tenosynovitis of the hand or forearm
All occupational cancers
Diagnosed cramping of the hand or forearm
Any disease or illnesses linked to an occupational exposure to a biological agent

What to do if you’re injured in a RIDDOR reportable incident

Due to the requirements of the RIDDOR reporting process, anyone injured in an accident at work that leads to a RIDDOR report being made is likely to have been seriously hurt and unable to work for a time.

In such cases, if the accident was caused by employer negligence, a lack of training or other failure to properly manage the health and safety of employers in the workplace, you can claim compensation for your workplace injury.

Claiming compensation after suffering serious injuries in an accident at work is one of your rights and one that can bring many benefits to the injured person. It can offer both financial and medical assistance at a time when they are unlikely to be able to work, or will be trying to rebuild their lives after a lengthy period of recovery and loss of income.

26 questions have been answered on this subject, why not ask your own?

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    Questions

    Read on for questions and advice about claiming...

    i have been told i have vibration white finger in both hands .i was put in the workshop to repair metal pallet after i was diagnosed with parkinsons, i used to be shift maintenance fitter.i was given no information on vibration and it appears no risk assement was done and no ppe was issued.i was using a 9 inch grinder to cut off the old metal feet off the pallet and reweld new feet on the pallet. i have spoken to my shop steward and he thinks it should be reported under riddor is this optional or mandadory for the employer to report the vw finger incident.

    Ian Morris

    Any RIDDOR relevant incident should be reported to RIDDOR in accordance with the requirements of the RIDDOR scheme and it would perhaps be sensible for you to make some initial enquiries with them to see whether your situation meets the criteria – as it could well do.

    Reply

    If an employee has an injury at work but returns to work the following day and works for 7 days. He then goes off sick with their injuries for 3 weeks does this have to be reported as a RIDDOR.

    Ian Morris

    The scenario you describe is somewhat of a grey area, as the employee did return to work after the accident. However, given the further requirement for leave caused by the injuries sustained at work, it would be prudent to contact RIDDOR to discuss the accident and whether they need to be involved.

    Reply

    I was involved in an accident whilst at work for a security company. I tripped over a speed hump which resulted in me breaking both my shoulders. Both have now been operated on but I will be off work for a minimum of 6 weeks, in which my company will only pay SSP. After a phone call to the Health and Safety Executive, it was revealed the incident was not reported. Is there any advice you can please provide?

    Ian Morris

    Given the severity of your injuries and the fact that you are to be away from work for a considerable time, it would seem apparent that details your injuries and accident at work should have been notified to RIDDOR.

    In terms of your rights, we can certainly investigate the prospect of pursuing a claim for personal injury compensation as a result of your accident at work, which if successful would allow you to recover your lost income as well as compensation for the pain caused by your injuries and the longer term complications that such injuries may present to you.

    As you have tripped over a speed bump, we need to know how this happened and why you hadn’t seen the speed bump in the road. A speed bump is not a typical tripping hazard in that it is not present through disrepair or damage but due to design. As such, the speed bump should have clear markings painted on it and adequate signage to provide notice of the presence of the speed bump. If there was no such signage or if you tripped due to some disrepair on the speed bump or because of faulty or broken lighting, there may well be a chance of a successful claim.

    We look forward to finding out a little more and advising you further.

    Reply

    If an employee is involved in a fight whilst on a unpaid break on work premises is it a Riddor reportable accident?
    Thanks

    Ian Morris

    Only injuries sustained in accidents at work or within the workplace reportable to RIDDOR (if they meet the requirement to report). Therefore, in the incident you describe, which appears to be non-work related, it would not be a RIDDOR reportable matter.

    Reply

    Hi, I had a gas burning pipe blow into my eye reported the pipe burst but I was ok a week later my eye was all swollen bloodshot and bruised. I went to see my foreman and he was refusing to put it in the accident book ,saying as I left site and came back i couldn’t do it. Been to hospital got small splinter out, I have haemorrhage on eye and bit of damage to outside from pressure of gas hitting it. Where do I stand with reporting it? They said there’s a manufacturing fault with the pipes, and they getting sent back as loads have been busting open across site.

    Ian Morris

    Your Foreman really should allow you to record the details of your injury. As the employer is being difficult about making a report, the best course of action is to make your own report and email it to your employer – copied to your Line Manager and HR department – outlining what happened, when and where and what injuries you have sustained.

    If you haven’t already started a claim, please consider using the ‘start your claim for compensation‘ page of our website to provide further details about your accident at work and we can then help you to make your claim for compensation.

    Reply

    My husband was injured whilst at work on a construction site. He was working with a machine when he injured his hand and finger. He went to the medical room on the site in considerable pain and with swelling to the hand. They put a bandage on near the finger cut and sent him home with no further thought for the injury – no ambulance, no hospital.

    Once home, we went straight to the hospital and went to accident and emergency. After an x-ray, they told him that his right hand ring finger was fractured. They referred to Broomfield hospital, where we went straight away. They admitted my husband for the night and the next day (afternoon) they sent him home awaiting surgery with a Doctors note for the fracture repair.

    He has had the surgery on Friday, but the employer is forcing to him to come back and work despite the fact that my husband has already given them sick note for the next 2 weeks. What he should do?

    Ian Morris

    Clearly, your Husband should not be working for the next two weeks. Indeed for him to do so would not only risk worsening his injury and recovery, but would likely see him being unsafe and presenting a risk to others at the workplace. Further, the employer should be reporting the injury to the relevant authorities such as RIDDOR as he is off work for longer than the minimum period.

    Whatever happens with the employer, you should ensure that anything said by your Husband to them or in return to your Husband is done so in writing so that a record can be kept.

    In terms of the injury itself, it would seem pretty serious. We would like to know more about the work he was doing, what training he had received and how he came to sustain the injury as he may well have valid grounds to pursue a claim for compensation for the injury sustained at work. Injuries to the finger, especially where surgery is required to aid recovery are serious injuries. The possible longer term implications that may impact his grip strength, dexterity and ability to work as normal may well cause problems and this would be considered in any claim should one be pursued.

    Reply

    I reported to my line manager at my previous job (whom I’d worked for for 7 years) that I have carpal tunnel syndrome and that I needed an operation to alleviate the condition following unsuccessful steroid injections and wearing a splint during the night. I was encouraged to postpone the operation until a large project I was working on was complete, which I indeed did. Probably put the operation off by 2-3 months.
    The line manager neither asked any questions about the condition, completed an official record or reported it under RIDDOR. I’d be interested to know if I have any recourse?

    Ian Morris

    You can pursue a claim for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) compensation so long as your diagnosis of the condition or date of knowledge (the date at which you became aware of the condition) is within the past 3 years and if you believe that the CTS was caused as a direct result of the work you do and the way in which your employer managed your workload.

    If you would like to discuss this further with us, please call our team on 01225430285 between 9am and 7pm Mon-Thurs or 9am and 5pm on Friday.

    Reply

    Hi, I had an accident at work on the 6th of June. I was at a venue that we hire and is owned and managed by the local town council.
    I actually had a bad break in my foot and I’m still off awaiting another X-ray at the beginning of September.
    My company and the town council have not registered it in the accident book and they have not done an investigation into it. I asked my company about the accident book and they couldn’t find it??
    They have only just informed riddor of the injury.
    Where do I stand?

    Ian Morris

    Whether or not you can make a claim for the nasty foot injury you have suffered and the associated impact that such an injury will be having on your day-to-day life, will depend on what caused the injury and whether negligence played a part.

    Before we can advise you further on making a claim, we’ll need to know what happened and how you were injured.

    It is good that RIDDOR have now been informed as that means that there is a paper trail to follow in terms of proving that the injury happened at the venue you mentioned.

    Amy

    Thanks for your response. I was at work at a allotment venue which is owned and maintained by the town council.
    They have a big container which is communal for everyone to lock tools and machines up.
    I had been away for 2 weeks so all of my groups items were right at the back and people had piled all the machines in front of it. I had to move things around to get our equipment, the floor is always a mess, stones and rubble and as I was coming out of the door I slipped out and twisted my foot and my 5th metatarsal bone broke a chunk off. It’s healing very slowly.

    Ian Morris

    In that case it would seem that making a claim is a reasonable move as there are potential defendants with questions to answer regarding negligence towards health and safety.

    You’ve a nasty injury with a long term recovery period and this would be considered during the evaluation of the claim and possible settlement value – as would any loss of income.

    Reply

    I had a road traffic accident whilst driving the work van and in work hours. The accident was not my fault and they were not insured. My company are only third party. This happened at the end of October last year. I had whiplash and broken ribs and was unable to work. I am now having emdr therapy as I can not drive. the employer is paying for this. I have run out of statutory sick pay so am now not getting paid. Can I claim anything?

    Ian Morris

    Please call us on 01225430285 as we can help you make a claim via the Motor Insurers Bureau (MIB) uninsured driver scheme. This would be done on a No Win No Fee basis. You’ll need a police incident reference number ideally.

    You don’t have to instruct a Solicitor to pursue a claim such as this as you can apply directly to the MIB. However, it is wise to instruct a specialist in order to ensure that your claim is professionally represented and that your best interests are upheld and protected.

    Reply

    I was injured in a workplace accident last September resulting in a partial amputation of my index finger on my dominant hand, at the final knuckle.
    After the accident i went straight to hospital (lots of pain and blood) so was unaware of what was going on back at site, but 6 days later there was a push from my employer to get me back to site for a drug and alcohol test, and to fill in the accident report.
    It was believed by all that i was already back at work on light duties but the reality was that I had another operation the following day and it was around 8 weeks till i was given anything work related to do, i’ve various evidence to back all of the above up.

    It’s only now on reflection that i’m thinking they decided not to report RIDDOR, so was wondering if you know any way this can be checked but also if this would prevent me making a claim?

    Ian Morris

    The lack of the a RIDDOR report would not prevent you from making a claim. Reporting workplace accidents and injuries to RIDDOR is an employer responsibility and not an employee issue.

    We would be very happy to assist you with making a claim for compensation against your employers insurance. Serious workplace injuries such as the amputation of a finger is certainly a matter that warrants making a claim for compensation and it is vital that you instruct a specialist personal injury expert such as Direct2Compensation and our Solicitors to handle such a matter for you. The value of your claim is likely to be high given that you have lost part of your index finger on your dominant hand. This injury will impact on your fine motor skills, your dexterity and grip strength and any settlement that you receive must reflect on the permanency of your injury.

    Please call us on 01225430285 or use the ‘start a claim’ page of our website to make further contact with us so that we can discuss your case and offer specific advice to you. We also have an article on finger injury claims which can give you an idea of compensation amounts.

    Reply

    9 weeks ago I was involved in a work place accident when a quad bike overturned and rolled on top of me. This resulted in a humeral fracture. The company director told me that a day after the incident if in our witness report we made mention of the quad bike being involved quad bikes would be banned from site and we wouldn’t be able to use them.
    He then firmly suggested that myself and the other witness said I fell carrying materials and no quad bike was involved.

    I am now 9 weeks later on SSP and have no other income with a potential further 6-10 weeks in the same situation.

    How do I go around changing the report when the “Boss” isn’t wanting to or willing to give me any financial compensation?

    Ian Morris

    Your employer has been extremely negligent in coercing you and colleagues to list the cause of your injuries wrongly. They should not have done this and could face serious repercussions for their actions.

    Given the loss of income you have suffered as a result of your accident at work and your employers refusal (as is their right) not to pay your usual salary, you should do all you can to make a claim for compensation against the employer. However, as you may appreciate the prospects of succeeding with the claim could be lowered by the inaccurate reporting of the cause of the accident.

    You could seek to speak with your colleagues and other witnesses to your accident and see if anyone is willing to put their head above the parapet and corroborate your version of events as if so, that would help you. Your other course of action would be to immediately contact RIDDOR to see if the employer reported the accident in the first place – as they should have done – and to advise them of the scenario you have described here.

    We would be happy to help you attempt to make a claim for compensation against your employer and there is a prospect of succeeding if it can be shown that a lack of adequate training or health and safety management (such as a risk assessment for quad bike use and training for you to use the machine) was the cause of your accident.

    If you would like to discuss this further with me, please call 01225430285.

    Reply

    I open fractured my middle finger at work on 27/11/17 the accident book was filled in and signed on the same day as I had to collect my personal items from work after my treatment at A&E. I was off work for 1 week and returned the Monday after my fracture clinic appointment as I can’t afford to live off of SSP. I’m dental nurse so have put myself (luckily) on light duties as I currently unable to do my normal job and will be for at least 2 more weeks. My manger never gave me a back to work interview to officially confirm I’m on light duties infact it’s like she’s ignoring my accident completely. I’m 95% sure she’s not reported my injury to our health and saftey team which breaks all our work protocols. I’m ringing them to confirm this on monday. (Although she assumes me she did) Which means that the fire door which I believe should have a soft close hinge on it has not been investigated and I’m having to use it still. They may miss the riddor reporting deadline as well if she’s not reported it to our health and saftey team. Where do I stand with this if I have to put in the report myself on Monday? This whole thing is making me very stressed as I don’t feel like they’re making any effort to make our work place safer and my manger is just lied to my face? Thanks

    Ian Morris

    You are doing the right things in terms of speaking with your Manager re the accident at work and whether or not they have reported it to the relevant people. If you are not confident that the right things have been done, you are free to contact the Health and Safety team yourself and also report to RIDDOR if needs be.

    For the purposes of a claim, it would not matter whether the employer has done the right things with RIDDOR etc as it will not be difficult to prove that your accident has happened. There is an accident report completed at the time of the accident and you have had subsequent medical treatment at a Hospital so your medical records will also provide useful evidence to support any claim.

    We would be very happy to assist you with a claim for compensation here. Finger injuries such as yours are nasty and affect many aspects of every day life. It may well be that you find that there are some longer term problems caused by this injury to your finger, such as a loss of grip strength, loss of dexterity and ongoing pain. Our specialist Solicitors have succeeded with a number of identical claims over the years and would be able to seek compensation for your injuries and recover any lost income or costs incurred by you as a result of this accident if successful with your claim.

    Reply
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