RIDDOR – When to Report an Accident at Work to the HSE

By Ian Morris | Updated December 3rd, 2024

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Quick Answer: Employers must report workplace accidents immediately if they result in death, specified serious injuries, or cause an employee to be away from work for more than 7 consecutive days. Reports should be submitted to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) through their online reporting system within 15 days of the incident.

Key Takeaways

Death and specified injuries require immediate reporting
Absences exceeding 7 consecutive days must be reported
Reports must be submitted within strict timeframes
Proper documentation is essential for legal compliance
Failure to report can result in significant penalties

Workplace accidents must be reported under specific circumstances in the UK. Understanding RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013) is important for both employers and employees to ensure legal compliance and maintain workplace safety standards.

What is RIDDOR?

RIDDOR is a fundamental piece of UK health and safety legislation that places a legal duty on employers, self-employed individuals, and those in control of work premises to report specific workplace incidents. These regulations serve multiple critical purposes:

Legal Requirements

The law mandates reporting of workplace accidents, dangerous occurrences, and specified occupational diseases to ensure proper oversight and investigation of serious incidents. This legal framework helps maintain workplace safety standards across all industries.

Purpose and Benefits

RIDDOR reporting enables the HSE to:

Monitor workplace accident patterns
Identify emerging risks in different sectors
Develop targeted safety interventions
Provide evidence-based guidance to prevent future incidents
Ensure appropriate investigation of serious accidents

Scope of Application

The regulations apply to all work activities in Great Britain, including:

Construction sites
Factories and workshops
Offices and retail spaces
Educational institutions
Healthcare facilities
Public spaces where work is being carried out

This comprehensive reporting system helps create safer workplaces by providing valuable data for accident prevention and risk management strategies. Understanding and complying with RIDDOR is not just a legal obligation but a key step in maintaining workplace safety and protecting employee wellbeing.

RIDDOR Mandatory Reporting Requirements

Deaths and Specified Injuries

All work-related deaths must be reported immediately to the HSE. This includes fatalities of both workers and non-workers arising from workplace accidents, excluding suicides. Specified injuries requiring immediate reporting include:

The death of any employee or self-employed person as a result of an accident at work
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.

Over-Seven-Day Injuries

Incidents causing workers to be incapacitated for more than seven consecutive days must be reported within 15 days of the accident. The seven-day period excludes the day of the accident but includes weekends and rest days. While three-day injuries must still be recorded in the accident book, they no longer require RIDDOR reporting.

Public Incidents

Work-related accidents involving members of the public must be reported if the injured person is taken directly from the scene to hospital for treatment. This ensures proper investigation of incidents affecting non-workers.

Non-Reportable Incidents

Minor Injuries and Near Misses

Not all workplace accidents require RIDDOR reporting. For an incident to be reportable, it must be:

Work-related
Result in a specified type of injury
Meet the severity threshold for reporting

Record Keeping Requirements

Even when incidents don’t meet RIDDOR reporting criteria, proper documentation is essential:

All incidents must be recorded in the workplace accident book
Records must be maintained for at least 3 years, though 5-6 years is recommended for civil litigation purposes
Documentation should include incident details, date, and any immediate actions taken

Special Considerations

The 2024 updates have introduced enhanced guidance to help determine which incidents require reporting. The new system includes real-time guidance through pop-up messages to prevent unnecessary reports while ensuring important incidents aren’t missed.

Industrial Diseases

RIDDOR requires reporting of specific occupational diseases when diagnosed by a doctor and linked to workplace exposure.

Common Reportable Conditions

Carpal tunnel syndrome must be reported when linked to regular use of percussive or vibrating power tools. Occupational dermatitis becomes reportable when work involves significant exposure to chemical or biological skin irritants, particularly in industries like construction, healthcare, and printing.

Occupational Respiratory Conditions

Occupational asthma requires reporting when connected to workplace exposure to respiratory sensitisers, such as:

Epoxy resin fumes
Solder fume
Wood dusts
Grain dusts

2024 Updates to RIDDOR

Enhanced Reporting System

The HSE has implemented significant improvements to their reporting system, focusing on clearer guidance and more efficient documentation processes. The updated system provides real-time assistance through integrated guidance features.

Key Changes

The 2024 updates emphasise proper categorisation of incidents, with specific attention to:

Immediate reporting requirements for deaths and specified injuries
Clear distinction between reportable and non-reportable incidents
Improved guidance for occupational disease reporting

Documentation Requirements

The new system maintains strict record-keeping standards while streamlining the reporting process. All incidents must be properly documented, with special attention to timing and detail requirements for different types of incidents.

Making a RIDDOR Report

Online Reporting System

The HSE has implemented an updated reporting system for 2024 that prioritises questions about injury severity at the beginning of the form. The system now includes real-time guidance through pop-up messages to help users determine if an incident requires reporting.

Responsible Persons

Only designated responsible persons should submit RIDDOR reports. The enhanced guidance helps ensure that the correct person makes the report, reducing confusion and preventing unnecessary submissions.

Reporting Timeframes

Deaths and specified injuries require immediate reporting, while injuries causing more than seven consecutive days of absence must be reported within 15 days. The system now includes clearer guidance on timing requirements and what constitutes a reportable incident.

Legal Implications

Penalties for Non-Compliance

Breaching RIDDOR regulations can result in significant penalties, ranging from £20,000 in Magistrates Court to unlimited fines in Crown Court. Serious breaches may lead to business closure or imprisonment.

Investigation Process

When incidents are reported, the HSE or local authority will evaluate:

The severity of the accident
The extent of employer negligence
Compliance with safety regulations
Required recovery period

Tips for Compliance

Establishing Reporting Procedures

Create clear reporting channels within your organisation, ensuring all supervisors and managers understand their responsibilities. Implement a systematic approach to incident evaluation and reporting, with designated individuals responsible for RIDDOR submissions.

Training Requirements

Provide comprehensive training for all staff members, focusing on:

Recognition of reportable incidents
Internal reporting procedures
Documentation requirements
Timeline compliance
Evidence preservation

Support and Guidance

The HSE provides comprehensive guidance through:

Online reporting tools
Technical guidance documents
Industry-specific advice
Regular updates and newsletters
Training resources

Remember that proper RIDDOR compliance not only fulfils legal obligations but also contributes to creating safer workplaces and protecting employee wellbeing.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Comments & Questions

Read on for questions and advice about claiming...

I injured my calf muscle at work and was off for ten weeks. Is this reportable under riddor?

The HSE.gov website states ‘Work-related accidents must be reported where they result in an employee (or self-employed person) being away from work, or unable to do their normal work duties, for more than 7 consecutive days as the result of their injury‘ as such, in this case, your injury should have been reported to RIDDOR whether you’re an employee or self employed.

We would be happy to advise further in terms of your rights to make a claim and seek compensation for your injury and recovery of lost income. Please call us on 01225430285 or request a call via our website for further help.

hi i was off work with a workplace injury for 10 weeks damaged my calf muscle. should this of come under riddor

Generally speaking all accidents at work that lead to injuries causing an employee to be absent from work duties for 7 consecutive days should be reported to RIDDOR. RIDDOR reporting is required regardless of the cause of an injury and is not an indication of liability, but a means of reviewing incidents to ensure safer conditions.

If you would like to discuss making a claim with us, please call us on 01225430285 or use our website to get further help.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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?

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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?

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.

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?

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.

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

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.