Effective from 1 October 2013, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have implemented changes to the mandatory reporting of workplace injuries for businesses.
The changes to the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 1995 affect all employers – including the self-employed – and are intended to clarify and simplify the reporting requirements. Web-based information and guidance is available at www.hse.gov.uk/riddor/index.htm.
How an incident is reported and the criteria that determine whether an incident should be investigated remain the same. The main changes are in the following areas:
- Fewer types of “dangerous occurrence” require reporting
- The existing schedule detailing 47 types of industrial disease is replaced with 8 categories of reportable work-related illness
- The classification of “major injuires” to workers is replaced with a shorter list of “specified injuries”
There are no significant changes to the reporting requirements for:
- Accidents to non-workers (members of the public)
- Fatal accidents
- Accidents resulting in a worker being unable to perform their nromal range of duties for more than 7 days
