Reportable Injuries Under RIDDOR

Under RIDDOR 2013, employers and those in control of premises must report specific types of workplace injuries to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Not every injury is reportable—only those that meet defined criteria. Understanding what must be reported, when, and how is essential for legal compliance and effective safety management.

Categories of reportable injuries

RIDDOR 2013 defines five main categories of reportable incidents related to injuries and health:

1. Deaths — Any work-related fatality
2. Specified injuries — Serious injuries from a defined list
3. Over-7-day injuries — Injuries causing more than 7 days' incapacitation
4. Injuries to non-workers — Serious injuries to members of the public
5. Occupational diseases — Work-related diseases diagnosed by a doctor

Each category has different reporting criteria and timescales.

Deaths

Any death arising from a work-related accident must be reported immediately to the HSE, regardless of how long after the accident the death occurs.

Who is covered

Deaths must be reported for:

Workers:

• Employees (full-time, part-time, temporary, agency)
• Self-employed persons working on your premises
• Contractors and subcontractors
• Trainees and apprentices

Members of the public:

• Customers, visitors, or bystanders injured by work activities
• People affected by the condition of work premises

Reporting timescale

Immediate — Report without delay by the quickest practicable means (online or telephone: 0345 300 9923).

Examples

• Construction worker killed in scaffold collapse
• Employee dies from head injuries after falling from height
• Member of public struck and killed by reversing delivery vehicle
• Contractor electrocuted while carrying out maintenance work
• Pedestrian killed by falling materials from construction site

Specified injuries

Specified injuries are serious injuries defined in RIDDOR 2013 regulation 4. These must be reported immediately, regardless of how long the person is off work.

Complete list of specified injuries

1. Fractures (except to fingers, thumbs, and toes)

Any broken bone counts as a specified injury, with three exceptions:

• Fractures to fingers
• Fractures to thumbs
• Fractures to toes

Examples:

• Broken arm, leg, wrist, ankle, or collarbone
• Fractured ribs, pelvis, or skull
• Spinal fractures

Not reportable as specified injuries:

• Broken finger, thumb, or toe (but may be reportable if over 7 days off work)

2. Amputations

Any amputation counts, whether partial or complete:

• Amputation of a hand or foot
• Amputation of a finger, thumb, or toe where the joint or bone is completely severed
• Partial amputation requiring surgical separation

Examples:

• Finger severed in machinery
• Toe amputated by falling object
• Hand lost in cutting equipment
• Partial amputation requiring hospital amputation

3. Permanent or temporary loss of sight

Both permanent and temporary vision loss count:

• Permanent loss of sight in one or both eyes
• Temporary loss of sight lasting more than 24 hours

Examples:

• Chemical splash causing permanent blindness in one eye
• Arc eye from welding causing temporary blindness for 48 hours
• Penetrating eye injury causing permanent vision loss
• Flash burn causing loss of sight for more than 24 hours

4. Crush injuries leading to internal organ damage

Not every crush injury is reportable—only those causing damage to internal organs.

Examples:

• Crushed by forklift truck, causing damage to kidneys or liver
• Trapped between vehicles, resulting in internal bleeding
• Heavy object falling on torso, causing lung or heart damage

Not reportable:

• Crush injury to finger causing bruising but no internal damage
• Crushed foot with fractures (reportable as fracture, not crush injury)

5. Serious burns

Burns are specified injuries if they:

• Cover more than 10% of the body surface area
• Cause significant damage to the eyes, respiratory system, or other vital organs

Examples:

• Flash fire causing burns to 15% of body
• Chemical burns affecting face and eyes
• Hot oil burns covering both arms and chest
• Inhalation burns damaging respiratory system
• Electrical burns causing damage to multiple body areas

Not reportable as specified injuries:

• Minor burns covering less than 10% of body (unless affecting eyes or respiratory system)

6. Scalping injuries requiring hospital treatment

Any scalping requiring hospital treatment must be reported:

• Partial or complete scalping
• Hair and scalp torn from skull
• Requires admission to hospital or emergency treatment

Examples:

• Hair caught in rotating machinery, tearing scalp
• Scalp injury from moving belt requiring surgical repair

7. Loss of consciousness

Loss of consciousness is reportable when caused by:

• Head injury (impact, blow, or trauma to the head)
• Asphyxiation (lack of oxygen, choking, gas exposure)

Examples:

• Knocked unconscious by falling object
• Fainted due to gas fumes or lack of ventilation
• Loss of consciousness from electric shock
• Rendered unconscious by head impact from fall

Not reportable:

• Fainting from medical conditions unrelated to work (e.g., diabetes, heart condition)
• Loss of consciousness from heat exhaustion (may be reportable under other categories)

8. Injuries from enclosed space work

Injuries arising from work in an enclosed space that lead to:

• Hypothermia
• Heat-induced illness or heat stroke
• Require resuscitation
• Require admittance to hospital for more than 24 hours

Examples:

• Hypothermia from working in confined cold space
• Heat stroke from working in boiler room or confined hot space
• Overcome by fumes in tank, requiring resuscitation
• Confined space incident requiring hospital admission for 30 hours

Reporting timescale for specified injuries

Immediate — Report without delay by the quickest practicable means (online or telephone: 0345 300 9923).

In practice:

• Report on the same day if possible
• Report the next working day at the latest
• Don't wait to investigate fully—report what you know

Over-7-day injuries

If a worker is incapacitated for more than 7 consecutive days as a result of a work-related accident, you must report it to the HSE.

What counts as incapacitation

"Incapacitated" means unable to do their normal work. This includes:

• Off work completely
• At work but only able to do light duties (not their normal role)
• Working from home because unable to attend workplace
• On restricted duties due to injury

The test: Can they do the work they normally do? If not, they're incapacitated.

How to count the days

Rules for counting:

1. Don't count the day of the accident — The 7 days start from the day after the accident
2. Count consecutive days — Count 7 days in a row, not 7 working days
3. Count days they would normally work — If they work Monday-Friday, count weekdays. If they work weekends, count those too
4. Light duties count as incapacity — If they can't do their normal work, it counts

Example 1: Monday-Friday worker

• Accident happens: Monday
• Returns to work: Following Wednesday (9 days later)
• Days off: Tuesday–Tuesday (8 consecutive days, 6 working days)
• Reportable: Yes (more than 7 consecutive days)

Example 2: Seven-day worker

• Accident happens: Wednesday
• Returns to work: Following Thursday (8 days later)
• Days off: Thursday–Wednesday (7 consecutive days)
• Reportable: No (exactly 7 days, not more than 7)

Example 3: Part-time worker

• Accident happens: Monday
• Normally works: Monday, Wednesday, Friday
• Returns to work: Following Monday (7 days later, 3 working days)
• Days off: Tuesday–Sunday (7 consecutive days)
• Reportable: No (exactly 7 days, not more than 7)

Reporting timescale for over-7-day injuries

Within 15 days — Report within 15 days of the accident (not 15 days from the 7th day of absence).

Example:

• Accident: 1st March
• 8th day of incapacity: 9th March (now reportable)
• Deadline for reporting: 16th March (15 days from accident)

What qualifies as a work-related accident

The accident must arise "out of or in connection with work." This includes:

Clear work-related causes:

• Injured by work equipment or machinery
• Slip, trip, or fall at workplace
• Struck by falling materials or objects
• Injured during work tasks or procedures

Grey areas:

• Injured in workplace car park (reportable if part of work premises)
• Injured while commuting (not reportable unless on company business)
• Injured during lunch break on premises (reportable if premises-related)
• Injured at work event off-site (case-by-case, depends on circumstances)

When in doubt, report it. HSE can decide if it's truly work-related.

Examples of over-7-day injuries

• Office worker slips on wet floor, sprains ankle badly, off work for 10 days
• Warehouse operative strains back lifting, unable to work for 2 weeks
• Care worker injured in fall, returns on light duties only for 9 days
• Shop worker cuts hand, infection develops, off work for 12 days
• Delivery driver involved in vehicle accident, off work for 3 weeks

Injuries to non-workers (members of the public)

You must report injuries to people who are not at work (members of the public) if:

1. The injury arises from a work-related accident, and
2. The person is taken from the site of the accident to hospital for treatment

What counts as "the public"

Non-workers include:

• Customers and clients
• Visitors to premises
• Patients in healthcare settings
• Pupils and students (in some contexts)
• Bystanders and pedestrians
• Anyone not working at the time of incident

The "taken to hospital" test

The injury must be serious enough that the person is taken directly from the scene to hospital. This includes:

• Ambulance called and person taken to A&E
• Person travels to hospital themselves immediately
• Person driven to hospital by colleague or manager

Not reportable:

• Person receives first aid and goes home, visits GP later
• Person goes to hospital later that day or next day
• Person refuses hospital treatment
• Minor treatment at scene, no hospital visit

Work-related accident requirement

The accident must arise "out of or in connection with work." This means the work activity or condition of the premises caused or contributed to the injury.

Reportable examples:

Retail and hospitality:

• Customer slips on wet floor in shop and breaks wrist (taken to hospital)
• Visitor trips on damaged carpet in hotel lobby, sustains head injury (ambulance called)
• Child injured by falling display in store (taken to A&E by parent)

Construction and property:

• Pedestrian struck by falling materials from building site (taken to hospital)
• Member of public trips over contractor's equipment on pavement (ambulance called)
• Visitor to construction site injured by vehicle movement (taken to A&E)

Healthcare and care:

• Hospital visitor slips on wet floor, fractures hip (taken to A&E within same hospital)
• Care home visitor trips on loose carpet, sustains serious injury (ambulance called)

Leisure and events:

• Gym member injured by faulty equipment (taken to hospital)
• Cinema visitor trips on broken stair, fractures ankle (ambulance called)
• Park visitor injured by fallen tree during maintenance work (taken to A&E)

Not reportable examples:

• Customer has heart attack in shop (medical condition, not work-related accident)
• Visitor trips over own bag in reception area (not premises-related)
• Member of public injured in car park by another member of public (not work-related)
• Customer injured by another customer (not arising from work activities)

Who reports injuries to the public

The duty falls on:

• The person in control of the premises where the accident occurred
• The employer whose work activities caused the accident
• The contractor whose work caused the accident

Example: A contractor working in a shopping center drops materials, injuring a shopper. Both the contractor and the shopping center operator may have a duty to report, depending on who was in control and whose activities caused the incident.

Reporting timescale

Immediate — Report without delay by the quickest practicable means (online).

Occupational diseases

If a doctor diagnoses that a worker has one of the specified occupational diseases linked to work activities, you must report it to the HSE.

When to report

You must report when:

1. A doctor makes a written diagnosis, and
2. The disease is on the list of reportable diseases, and
3. The person is (or has been) doing work that puts them at risk of that disease

You do not need to report:

• Self-diagnosis or informal diagnosis
• Diseases not on the specified list
• Diseases with no work connection
• Minor or temporary conditions

Complete list of reportable diseases

RIDDOR specifies different diseases for different types of work exposure.

1. Conditions due to physical agents:

• Carpal tunnel syndrome (from repetitive hand/wrist movements)
• Severe cramp of hand or forearm (from repetitive movements)
• Occupational dermatitis (skin disease from work substances)
• Hand-arm vibration syndrome (from vibrating tools)
• Occupational asthma (from substances at work)
• Tendonitis or tenosynovitis in hand or forearm (from repetitive movements)

2. Infections:

• Any disease attributable to an occupational exposure to a biological agent
• Examples: Hepatitis, tuberculosis, Legionnaires' disease, COVID-19 (in specific circumstances)

3. Conditions due to substances:

• Poisoning by substances including: lead, mercury, arsenic, phosphorus, benzene, carbon disulfide, and others
• Skin diseases from chromium, nickel, epoxy resins, formaldehyde
• Lung diseases from exposure to: asbestos, silica, coal dust, beryllium

4. Cancer:

• Any cancer attributed to occupational exposure, including:
  • Mesothelioma (from asbestos)
  • Lung cancer from asbestos, silica, arsenic, or other substances
  • Skin cancer from tar, pitch, mineral oil
  • Bladder cancer from certain chemicals
  • Nasal cancer from wood dust or leather dust
  • Leukemia from benzene exposure

5. Other conditions:

• Occupational deafness (diagnosed by audiometry, work involves specific noise exposure)
• Extrinsic alveolitis (from organic dusts)
• Anthrax
• Brucellosis
• Viral hepatitis
• Tuberculosis
• Any disease specifically linked to a scheduled occupation in RIDDOR

Work connection requirement

The disease must be linked to specific types of work. For example:

Carpal tunnel syndrome is reportable if the person's work involves:

• Repetitive gripping, twisting, or flexing of hands/wrists
• Use of hand-held powered tools
• Assembly line work with repetitive hand movements

Occupational asthma is reportable if caused by substances at work such as:

• Isocyanates (in paint, foam)
• Flour dust (in bakeries)
• Wood dust
• Latex
• Animals or insects

Hand-arm vibration syndrome is reportable if work involves:

• Regular use of vibrating tools (drills, sanders, chainsaws)
• Holding materials being processed by machines

Who diagnoses reportable diseases

A doctor must make the diagnosis. This can be:

• The worker's GP
• An occupational health physician
• A hospital specialist
• A consultant

Self-diagnosis, workplace first-aider diagnosis, or informal assessments don't trigger the duty to report.

What "written diagnosis" means

You must have received written confirmation, such as:

• A letter from the GP to you or the worker
• An occupational health report
• A specialist's diagnosis letter
• A medical certificate linking the condition to work

Verbal mention of a possible condition is not sufficient.

Reporting timescale

As soon as diagnosed — Report as soon as you receive the written diagnosis from a doctor.

In practice:

• Report within a few days of receiving the diagnosis
• Don't delay to investigate or dispute the diagnosis
• You can provide additional information later if needed

Examples of reportable diseases

Carpal tunnel syndrome:

• Factory worker diagnosed with CTS after 3 years of repetitive assembly work
• Office worker with CTS from intensive keyboard and mouse use
• Hairdresser diagnosed with CTS from scissor work and repetitive movements

Occupational asthma:

• Baker develops asthma from flour dust exposure
• Vehicle spray painter diagnosed with asthma from isocyanate exposure
• Healthcare worker develops latex allergy and asthma

Hand-arm vibration syndrome:

• Groundskeeper develops HAVS from years using vibrating equipment
• Construction worker diagnosed with vibration white finger from power tool use

Occupational dermatitis:

• Hairdresser develops dermatitis from chemical hair treatments
• Factory worker develops skin condition from handling metal-working fluids
• Healthcare worker develops dermatitis from frequent hand washing and glove use

Work-related infections:

• Healthcare worker contracts tuberculosis from patient contact
• Laboratory worker develops infection from handling biological samples
• Farm worker diagnosed with Leptospirosis from animal contact

Dangerous occurrences

Dangerous occurrences are near-miss events that had the potential to cause serious harm, even if no injury occurred. These must be reported to highlight serious risks.

What are dangerous occurrences

A dangerous occurrence is a specific type of incident listed in RIDDOR that:

• Had the potential to cause death or serious injury
• May not have resulted in any injury
• Indicates a serious risk or failure

Not every near-miss is a dangerous occurrence—only those on the specified list in RIDDOR.

Categories of dangerous occurrences

1. Lifting equipment failures

• Collapse, overturning, or failure of load-bearing parts of lifts
• Failure of any load-bearing part of a crane, hoist, or derrick
• Failure of lifting equipment while in use, or likely to be in use

Examples:

• Crane jib collapses while lifting load
• Hoist cable snaps
• Forklift overturns while lifting
• Passenger lift falls or fails

2. Pressure systems

• Explosion, collapse, or bursting of any pressure vessel
• Failure of pipeline or associated equipment
• Release of flammable or toxic substance from pressure system

Examples:

• Boiler explodes
• Compressed air receiver bursts
• Hydraulic system failure causing release of high-pressure fluid

3. Electrical incidents

• Electrical short circuit or overload causing fire or explosion
• Electrical incident requiring resuscitation
• Electrical incident requiring hospital admission for more than 24 hours

Examples:

• Electrical fault causes fire in distribution board
• Worker electrocuted, requires resuscitation
• Short circuit causes explosion

4. Explosions and fires

• Explosion or fire causing suspension of normal work for over 24 hours
• Explosion of any plant or equipment
• Fire or explosion due to ignition of flammable gas or vapor

Examples:

• Factory fire requiring evacuation and closure for 48 hours
• Gas explosion in commercial kitchen
• Dust explosion in grain silo

5. Release of flammable or toxic substances

• Sudden, uncontrolled release of:
  • 100kg or more of flammable liquid
  • 10kg or more of flammable liquid above its boiling point
  • 10kg or more of flammable gas
  • Any quantity of toxic substance that could cause serious harm

Examples:

• Large fuel spill from storage tank
• Release of ammonia from refrigeration system
• Chemical leak requiring evacuation

6. Collapse of scaffolding

• Collapse or partial collapse of:
  • A scaffold more than 5 meters high
  • Any part of a scaffold causing a person to fall more than 5 meters

Examples:

• Scaffold collapse on construction site (no injuries, but scaffolding over 5m high)
• Partial scaffold failure causing platform to drop

7. Building or structure collapse

• Unintended collapse of:
  • Any building or structure under construction, alteration, or demolition
  • Any wall or floor in permanent building
  • Any false-work

Examples:

• Partial collapse of building during renovation
• Wall collapses during demolition
• False-work fails during concrete pour

8. Overhead power line contact

• Contact between:
  • A vehicle, lifting equipment, or load and an overhead power line
  • Any equipment or material and an overhead power line where power is not cut off

Examples:

• Crane touches overhead power line
• Scaffolding makes contact with overhead cable
• Delivery lorry with raised bed contacts power line

9. Other specified dangerous occurrences

• Freight container falling while being lifted
• Uncontrolled or misdirected explosion in demolition work
• Collapse or overturning of road tanker
• Pipeline rupture or failure
• Collapse of excavation more than 5 meters deep
• Failure of diving equipment

Reporting timescale for dangerous occurrences

Immediate — Report without delay by the quickest practicable means (online).

Why report dangerous occurrences

Even though no one was injured, dangerous occurrences must be reported because:

• They indicate serious risks that could kill or seriously injure in future
• They often reveal systemic failures or control breakdowns
• They help HSE identify trends and emerging risks
• They can prevent similar incidents elsewhere

Example: A scaffold partially collapses on a construction site at 6pm when no workers are present. No injuries occur. This is still a reportable dangerous occurrence because if it had happened during the day, workers could have been killed.

Reporting timescales summary

Different types of reportable incidents have different deadlines.

What "immediate" means in practice

"Without delay" and "by the quickest practicable means" means:

Same day if possible:

• If the incident happens during working hours, report the same day
• If you discover a dangerous occurrence, report as soon as you're aware

Next working day at latest:

• If incident happens outside working hours (evening, weekend), report next working day
• If you're unable to report immediately for practical reasons, report first thing next day

Don't wait to:

• Complete your investigation
• Establish all facts
• Interview witnesses
• Determine root causes

Report what you know and update later if needed.

Reporting procedure

All RIDDOR reports must be made to the HSE using their online reporting system or, for deaths and specified injuries only, by telephone.

Online reporting (all incident types)

Website: www.hse.gov.uk/riddor/report.htm↗

You'll need to provide:

About the incident:

• Date and time
• Location (full address and specific location on site)
• What happened (brief description)

About the injured person:

• Name, address, and date of birth
• Occupation or role
• Employment status (employee, contractor, self-employed, member of public)

About the injury or disease:

• Type and severity
• Affected body parts
• Immediate actions taken

About your organization:

• Company name and address
• Contact details
• Nature of business
• Number of employees

You'll receive:

• Confirmation email
• Case reference number (keep this safe)
• Copy of your report for your records

Telephone reporting (deaths and specified injuries only)

HSE RIDDOR reporting line: 0345 300 9923

Available: Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm

Use for:

• Deaths
• Specified injuries

Don't use for:

• Over-7-day injuries (online only)
• Dangerous occurrences (online only)
• Occupational diseases (online only)
• Injuries to the public (online only)

After telephoning:

• Follow up with online form
• Keep written record of call (time, person spoken to, reference)

What you cannot do

You cannot report RIDDOR incidents by:

• Email (except specific offshore incidents)
• Letter or fax
• Verbally to an inspector at your site
• Through your local authority (except in specific cases where they're the enforcing authority)

Common reporting mistakes

Mistake 1: Counting the accident day in the 7 days

The problem: Employers count the day of the accident as day 1, so report when someone is off for 8 days, thinking it's 7 days off.

The reality: Don't count the day of the accident. If the accident is Monday and they return the following Tuesday, they've been off for 8 consecutive days (Tuesday-Tuesday). This is reportable.

Mistake 2: Only counting working days for 7-day injuries

The problem: Employers count only working days, so a Monday-Friday worker off for 2 weeks (10 calendar days, 8 working days) doesn't get reported.

The reality: Count consecutive days, not working days. If someone is off for 8 or more consecutive days, it's reportable regardless of how many of those days they normally work.

Mistake 3: Not reporting because the person didn't go to hospital

The problem: Employers think a fracture isn't reportable if the person went to a walk-in clinic or minor injuries unit instead of A&E.

The reality: Specified injuries must be reported regardless of where treatment was received. A fracture is reportable whether treated at A&E, a walk-in clinic, or by a GP.

Mistake 4: Assuming "taken to hospital" means admitted

The problem: For injuries to the public, employers only report if the person was admitted to hospital overnight.

The reality: "Taken to hospital" means taken from the scene of the accident to hospital for treatment. Admission overnight is not required—if they went to A&E directly from your premises, it's reportable.

Mistake 5: Not reporting occupational disease because you disagree with the diagnosis

The problem: Employer receives a doctor's diagnosis of work-related carpal tunnel syndrome but believes it's not work-related, so doesn't report.

The reality: If a doctor provides a written diagnosis linking a reportable disease to work, you must report it, even if you disagree. You can provide your own evidence to HSE if you believe the link is incorrect.

Mistake 6: Waiting for the worker to return before deciding if it's over 7 days

The problem: An injured worker is off for 2 weeks but employer doesn't report because they're "waiting to see how long they'll be off."

The reality: Report as soon as the person has been off for more than 7 consecutive days. You have 15 days from the accident to report, not 15 days from when they return to work.

Non-reportable injuries

Not every workplace injury needs reporting under RIDDOR. Many injuries only require internal recording in your accident book.

Injuries you don't need to report

Minor injuries:

• Cuts, grazes, bruises
• Minor burns and scalds (under 10% body area)
• Minor sprains and strains
• Fractures to fingers, thumbs, or toes (unless over 7 days off)
• Minor eye injuries (unless loss of sight for 24+ hours)
• Bumps and knocks

Short-term absences:

• Injuries causing 7 days or less off work
• Injuries where person returns to full duties within 7 consecutive days
• Minor injuries with no time off work

Medical conditions:

• Heart attacks, strokes (unless work-related)
• Epileptic seizures (unless work-related)
• Diabetic episodes (unless work-related)
• Other medical emergencies not caused by work

Non-work-related accidents:

• Tripping over own bag or belongings
• Injuries during lunch break from personal activities
• Injuries from horseplay not related to work
• Commuting accidents (unless on company business)

You must still record non-reportable injuries

Even if an injury doesn't need reporting to HSE, you must:

• Record it in your accident book
• Keep records for at least 3 years
• Investigate if necessary to prevent recurrence
• Review your risk assessments if there's a pattern

After reporting: what happens next

After you submit a RIDDOR report, several things may happen.

Immediate confirmation

You'll receive:

• Email confirmation (if reported online)
• Case reference number
• Copy of your submitted report

Keep these records — You may need the reference number for:

• Insurance claims
• Internal investigations
• Future correspondence with HSE
• Your legal records

HSE may contact you

HSE may:

• Request additional information
• Ask for witness statements
• Request documents (risk assessments, maintenance records, training records)
• Arrange a site visit or inspection
• Ask about control measures in place

You must cooperate — Provide information promptly and accurately.

HSE may investigate

Not all RIDDOR reports lead to investigation. HSE prioritizes based on:

• Severity of incident (deaths and serious injuries investigated more often)
• Industry sector and known risks
• Previous history of incidents at your organization
• Potential for systemic failures
• Public interest

If HSE investigates, they may:

• Visit your site
• Interview workers and managers
• Request extensive documentation
• Examine equipment or premises
• Issue improvement or prohibition notices
• Consider enforcement action

Possible outcomes

No further action:

• HSE reviews report and decides no investigation needed
• Case closed, no contact from HSE

Advisory contact:

• HSE provides advice on preventing recurrence
• No formal enforcement, but suggestions for improvement

Improvement notice:

• Formal notice requiring specific improvements by a deadline
• Legally binding
• Failure to comply is a criminal offense

Prohibition notice:

• Immediate stop on dangerous activities or use of equipment
• Effective immediately
• Cannot resume until issues resolved and HSE agrees

Prosecution:

• Criminal proceedings for health and safety breaches
• Potential fines and imprisonment
• Public record of conviction

Frequently asked questions

Penalties for failing to report

Failure to report a RIDDOR-reportable incident is a criminal offense under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.

Legal consequences

Fines:

• Magistrates' Court: Up to £20,000 per offense
• Crown Court: Unlimited fines

Imprisonment:

• Up to 6 months (Magistrates' Court)
• Up to 2 years (Crown Court)

Each failure to report is a separate offense — If you fail to report three separate incidents, that's three offenses, each with potential penalties.

Additional consequences

Enforcement action:

• Improvement notices requiring better reporting systems
• Increased HSE scrutiny and inspections
• Investigation of other potential breaches

Civil consequences:

• Insurance complications (insurers may refuse claims)
• Difficulty renewing insurance
• Higher premiums

Reputational damage:

• Public record of prosecution
• Loss of client or contract confidence
• Difficulty tendering for work
• Media attention for serious cases

Business impact:

• Time and cost of defending prosecution
• Management time diverted to legal proceedings
• Damage to employee morale and trust

Best practices for managing reportable injuries

1. Know the criteria

Ensure key staff can identify reportable injuries:

• Managers and supervisors
• Health and safety representatives
• First aiders
• HR personnel

Provide training and quick reference guides showing:

• List of specified injuries
• How to count 7 days
• When to report members of public injuries
• Reporting timescales

2. Report first, investigate later

Don't delay reporting while you:

• Wait for medical confirmation
• Complete your investigation
• Determine fault or blame
• Gather all witness statements

Report what you know immediately — You can provide additional information to HSE later.

3. Set up tracking systems

For over-7-day injuries:

• Record all injuries causing any time off work
• Set calendar reminders to check if person reaches 7-day threshold
• Track return-to-work dates
• Monitor light duties as "unable to work"

For diseases:

• Keep register of doctor's diagnoses
• Flag any work-related health issues
• Report when written diagnosis received

4. Keep good records

Maintain:

• Accident book for all injuries (reportable or not)
• Copies of all RIDDOR reports submitted
• HSE confirmation emails and case references
• Medical evidence and hospital records
• Investigation reports

Retain for at least 3 years (longer for occupational diseases and asbestos-related incidents).

5. When in doubt, report

If you're uncertain whether an incident is reportable:

• Err on the side of caution
• Report it and explain the circumstances
• HSE can decide if it meets the criteria

There's no penalty for over-reporting — But serious penalties for under-reporting.

6. Use reporting as a learning opportunity

After reporting:

• Investigate why the incident occurred
• Identify control failures or gaps
• Review and update risk assessments
• Implement preventative measures
• Share lessons across the organization

RIDDOR reports should trigger improvement — Not just compliance.

Next steps

If you need to determine whether a specific incident is reportable:

Use our RIDDOR Checker tool →

For help with workplace safety management and accident investigation:

Related articles:

• What is RIDDOR?
• Workplace accident investigation: a practical guide
• Health and safety record keeping: what you must keep and for how long

Useful tools:

• RIDDOR Checker
• Responsibility Checker