Reporting accidents and injuries on construction sites RIDDOR

[edit] Introduction

There is a legal requirement through the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR) for a responsible person (employers, the self-employed and individuals in control of work premises) to notify and keep records of specified workplace incidents.

This includes certain workplace accidents, occupational diseases and certain ‘dangerous occurrences’ (including near miss accidents). In addition, registered gas fitters are required to report poor and dangerous gas installations.

A ‘responsible person’ must notify the relevant enforcing authority (Health and Safety Executive (HSE), local authorities and the Office for Rail Regulation (ORR)) about deaths, injuries, occupational diseases and dangerous occurrences. The information gathered is used to assist in identifying where and how risks arose and to prevent re-occurrence.

[edit] Reportable incidents

[edit] Deaths and injuries

An accident that causes physical injury, including violence, must be reported when the accident is work-related and results in a ‘reportable injury’ (see below).

[edit] Reportable injury

[edit] Deaths

Notification is required of all deaths (workers and non-workers) on construction sites if they arise from a work-related accident, including violence to a worker. It is not necessary for suicides to be reported.

[edit] Specific injuries

Notification is required of the following specific injuries (Regulation 4 RIDDOR, 2013):

• Fractures (not including to fingers, thumbs and toes).
• Amputations.
• Injury likely to lead to permanent loss of sight or reduction in sight.
• Crush injury to the head or body causing damage to the brain or internal organs.
• Serious burns which cover more than 10% of the body or cause significant damage to the eyes, respiratory system or other vital organs.
• Scalping that requires hospital treatment.
• Loss of consciousness caused by head injury or asphyxia.
• Any other injury arising from work in an enclosed space which results in hypothermia or heat-induced illness or requires resuscitation or admittance to hospital for more than 24 hours.

[edit] Over seven day injuries to workers

When an employee or self-employed person is not able to work for more than seven consecutive days as a result of their injury, the accident must be reported.

[edit] Injuries to non-workers

Any accidents resulting in injury to the public or others who are not at work must be reported if they result in the injured person being taken directly to hospital for treatment of the injury.

[edit] Occupational diseases

It is necessary to report certain occupational diseases, where they are likely to have been a result of, or made worse by their work. This includes (Regulations 8 & 9, RIDDOR 2013):

• Carpal tunnel syndrome.
• Severe cramp of the hand or forearm.
• Occupational dermatitis.
• Hand-arm vibration syndrome.
• Occupational asthma.
• Tendonitis or tenosynovitis of the hand or forearm.
• Occupational cancer.
• Any disease attributed to an occupational exposure to a biological agent.

[edit] Dangerous occurrences

A dangerous occurrence is defined as a certain near-miss events. There is a list of 27 occurrences that are relevant to most workplaces, for example plant or equipment coming into contact with overhead power lines or explosions or fires causing work to be stopped for more than 24 hours.

[edit] Gas incidents

Gas Safe registered gas fitters must report any dangerous gas fittings they find, and gas conveyors/suppliers must also report some flammable gas incidents.

[edit] Record keeping

Accurate records of any RIDDOR incidents must be maintained. This can assist in ensuring that health and safety is managed appropriately. In addition to RIDDOR incidents, any incident resulting in a worker being away from work or incapacitated for more than three consecutive days must be recorded.

The records must include details regarding the incident or disease, personal details of the individual(s) involved, time and place of the event and the date and method of reporting. Records must be kept for at least three years from the date on which they were made.

Records must be submitted by the responsible person via an online reporting system from the RIDDOR report page on the HSE website. The appropriate form should be completed which will be submitted to the database and a copy emailed as a record for the responsible person. Fatalities and major injuries can be reported by phone to the HSE.

A report must be received within 10 days of the incident or within 15 days for accidents resulting in the over seven-day incapacitation of a worker.

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings

• Accident book.
• Accident report.
• As Low As Reasonably Practicable (ALARP).
• CDM.
• Collaborative Reporting for Safer Structures UK.
• Construction dust.
• Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005.
• Emergency plan.
• First aider.
• Health and safety.
• Health and Safety Executive.
• Heat stress.
• Incident reporting system.
• Injuries on construction sites.
• Inspections focus on occupational lung disease.
• Method statement.
• Near miss.
• Occupational health.
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration OSHA.
• Personal protective equipment.
• Provisional RIDDOR statistics for 2023 / 2024
• Risk assessment.
• Safety.
• Safety helmet colours.
• What is CLOCS?
• Workplace noise exposure estimator.

[edit] External references

• Reporting accidents and incidents at work.
• RIDDOR – Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013.
• Schedule to the regulations 2013.
• Office of Rail Regulation.