Checking your employer has made a RIDDOR report

Every year, thousands of workplace injuries and dangerous occurrences go unreported in the UK, leaving employees unaware of their rights and employers in breach of the law. If you have been injured at work, or witnessed a serious incident, you may be entitled to know whether your employer has fulfilled their legal duty to report it. Understanding how the RIDDOR reporting process works, and what steps you can take to verify compliance, puts that knowledge firmly in your hands.

For schools, the HSE provides a free RIDDOR guide.

The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR) places a clear legal duty on employers, the self-employed, and those in control of premises to report specific categories of workplace incident to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) or the relevant enforcing authority. The regulations are not optional; failure to comply is a criminal offence that can result in prosecution and substantial fines.

Under RIDDOR, the incidents that must be reported fall into several distinct categories. Work-related fatalities must be reported without delay, as must specified serious injuries to workers. These specified injuries include fractures to any bone other than a finger, thumb, or toe; amputations; any injury likely to lead to permanent loss of sight or reduction in sight; crushing injuries to the head or torso causing damage to the brain or internal organs; serious burns covering more than ten per cent of the body; and any injury resulting in loss of consciousness caused by a head injury or asphyxia. Injuries to members of the public, or people not at work, must also be reported where they are taken directly from the scene of the incident to hospital.

Additionally, any workplace injury that keeps a worker away from their normal duties, or incapable of carrying out those duties, for more than seven consecutive days (not counting the day of the accident itself) must be reported to the HSE within fifteen days. Separately, injuries resulting in over three consecutive days of incapacitation must be recorded internally, even if they do not reach the threshold for formal notification.

Beyond physical injuries, RIDDOR also requires employers to report certain occupational diseases, including conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome, cramp of the hand or forearm caused by repetitive work, occupational dermatitis, hand-arm vibration syndrome, and occupational asthma, where a doctor confirms a diagnosis and the person’s work involves the relevant risk factors. Dangerous occurrences, sometimes referred to as near-misses, form a further category; these are events that do not result in a reportable injury but have the clear potential to do so. Examples include the collapse of a lifting structure, the unintentional release of a biological agent, and the failure of a closed vessel forming part of a pressure system.

Reports are made through the HSE’s dedicated online reporting portal, or by telephone via the Incident Contact Centre (ICC) on 0345 300 9923. Once a report has been submitted, the employer receives a copy for their own records. Under the Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977, Regulation 7(1), employers are required to make those records available to safety representatives on request, and RIDDOR records must be retained for a minimum of three years from the date of the entry.

If you have been involved in or witnessed a reportable workplace incident and have reason to believe that your employer has not filed the necessary RIDDOR report, there is a straightforward process you can follow to check. The starting point is the HSE’s Incident Contact Centre, which acts as the central point of receipt for RIDDOR notifications across Great Britain.

To make an enquiry, contact the ICC directly by calling 0345 300 9923. When you speak to an adviser, clearly state that you wish to find out whether a RIDDOR report has been filed in connection with a specific incident. It is worth identifying yourself as a safety representative if that applies to your role, as this may assist the adviser in understanding the context of your request. You will need to provide as much detail as possible to help them locate any relevant report. The more information you can supply, the easier it will be for the ICC to carry out the check efficiently.

The details most useful to have to hand when making your enquiry are the full name and address of the injured person, including their postcode where known; the date on which the incident occurred; the location at which it took place; and the nature of the injury or dangerous occurrence. If you are missing some of this information, for example the postcode, it is still worth making contact, as the ICC will do their best to assist with the information available. In most cases, you can expect to receive a response within five working days, either by telephone or by email, confirming whether or not a report exists on their system.

If the ICC confirms that no report has been made and you believe one should have been, you can formally report the employer to the HSE, which has powers to investigate and, where appropriate, pursue enforcement action. The Health and Safety Executive is the national independent regulator for workplace health and safety in Great Britain, operating under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, and it takes non-compliance with RIDDOR seriously.

RIDDOR reporting ensures accountability and compliance with health and safety standards. Accurate reporting helps identify workplace hazards, prevent future incidents, and uphold employee rights and safety. Addressing these issues promptly fosters a safer work environment for all employees.

If you need assistance with your RIDDOR procedures, contact our expert HSQE team today.

• Visit the HSE RIDDOR page for further guidance.
• Access the “Guide to RIDDOR 1995” for detailed legal obligations.

Ensuring your employer complies with RIDDOR regulations is crucial for maintaining a safe workplace. By understanding the reporting process and your rights, you can advocate for proper health and safety practices. If you need assistance, the Incident Contact Centre is your first point of call.

It may be possible to get the information even if you don’t have, for example, the post code. They will undertake to give you the information within a specified number of working days, usually 5, either by telephone call or e-mail