ACCIDENT REPORTING (RIDDOR) (REPORTING OF INJURIES, DISEASES AND DANGEROUS OCCURRENCES REGULATIONS 1995)
INTRODUCTION
For most businesses a reportable accident, dangerous occurrence or case of disease is a comparatively rare event. However, employers, self-employed or persons in control of work premises should be aware that they still have duties under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR'95). The free booklet HSE 31 [Everyone's Guide to RIDDOR'95] contains a summary of the main requirements and a proforma copy of a report form that can be photocopied for use as necessary. The booklet could be kept handy in case you need to make a report.
Information from reported accidents etc. enables enforcing authorities to identify where and how risks arise and to investigate accidents as considered appropriate.
WHEN TO ACT?
Death or Major Injury
If there is an accident connected with work and :
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your employee, or a self-employed person working on your premises, is killed or suffers a major injury (including the result of physical violence); or
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a member of the public is killed or taken to hospital;
you must notify the enforcing authority without delay (e.g. by telephone). They will ask for brief details about your business, the injured person and the accident; and - within ten days you must follow this up with a completed accident report form (F2508).
Over-three-day injury
If there is an accident connected with work (including an act of physical violence) and your employee, or a self-employed person working on your premises, suffers an over-three-day injury you must send a completed accident report form (F2508) to the enforcing authority within ten days. An over three-day injury is one which is not major but results in the injured person being away from work or unable to do their normal work for more than three days (including non-work days).
Disease
If a doctor notifies you in writing that your employee suffers from a reportable work-related disease then you must send a completed disease report form (F2508A) to the enforcing authority. A self employed person notified verbally by his/her doctor that they are suffering from a reportable work related disease is obliged to report the matter to their enforcing authority. A summary of the reportable diseases is given later.
Dangerous Occurrence
If something happens which does not result in a reportable injury, but which clearly could have done, then it may be a dangerous occurrence which must be reported immediately (e.g. by telephone). A summary of the reportable dangerous occurrences is given later.
Within ten days you must follow this up with a completed accident report form (F2508).
WHAT IF I'M SELF-EMPLOYED?
If you are working in someone else's premises and suffer either a major injury or an injury which means you cannot do your normal work for more than three days, then they will be responsible for reporting, so, where possible, you should make sure they know about it.
If you or a member of the public is injured while you are working on your own premises, or if there is a dangerous occurrence there, or if a doctor tells you, you have a work-related disease or condition, then you need to report it. However, as a self-employed person you don't need to notify immediately if you suffer a major injury on your own premises. Either you or someone acting for you should send in a report form within 10 days.
WHO DO I REPORT TO?
If your business is office-based, retail or wholesale, warehousing, hotel and catering, sports or leisure, residential accommodation, (excluding nursing homes) or concerned with places of worship you need to report to the local authority (i.e. Gosport Borough Council, Environmental Health Services, Town Hall, High Street Gosport PO12 1EB Telephone: 023 92 545506 Fax: 023 92 545360
KEEPING RECORDS
Appropriate records must be kept, for example by keeping copies of completed F2508/ F2508A report forms or recording the details on a computer.
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