RIDDOR Reportable Injuries And Incidents: What UK Employers Must Report

When you’re running a small business, health and safety can feel like one more thing on an already long list. But if someone gets hurt (or there’s a near-miss that could have gone very badly), it’s not just about dealing with the immediate situation - you may also have a legal duty to report it.

This is where RIDDOR comes in.

RIDDOR sets out which workplace accidents, injuries, illnesses and dangerous incidents must be formally reported to the regulator. If you miss a report that should have been made, you could be exposing your business to enforcement action at exactly the time you least need extra stress.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through RIDDOR reportable injuries and RIDDOR reportable incidents, including what counts, what doesn’t, and the key deadlines small business owners need to know.

What Is RIDDOR (And Why Small Businesses Need To Take It Seriously)?

RIDDOR stands for the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013.

In plain English, it’s the UK legal framework that requires certain work-related:

• injuries (including deaths and serious injuries),
• occupational diseases, and
• dangerous occurrences (certain defined “near-misses” with serious potential)

…to be reported to the relevant enforcing authority (often the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), but sometimes your local authority depending on your type of workplace).

RIDDOR reporting isn’t just a box-ticking exercise. The purpose is to:

• help regulators spot patterns and prevent future harm,
• create a record of serious workplace risks and failures, and
• encourage employers to investigate properly and improve controls.

For small businesses, RIDDOR often comes up after an incident you didn’t see coming - a slip in the stockroom, a fall from a step ladder, a machinery injury, or an exposure issue.

If you’re building your broader health and safety in the workplace compliance, knowing what’s reportable (and what’s not) is a key part of being protected from day one.

What Counts As RIDDOR Reportable Injuries?

Let’s get specific. “Injury” under RIDDOR generally means an injury arising out of or in connection with work. That connection matters - not every accident on your premises is automatically reportable.

The most common categories of RIDDOR reportable injuries employers deal with are:

1) Work-Related Deaths

If any person (not just an employee) dies as a result of a work-related accident, it is reportable under RIDDOR.

This could include:

• an employee,
• a contractor,
• a visitor/customer,
• a delivery driver,
• any member of the public impacted by work activity.

2) “Specified Injuries” To Workers

RIDDOR requires reporting when a worker (including employees) suffers a specified injury due to a work-related accident.

Specified injuries include (in broad terms):

• Fractures (other than fingers, thumbs and toes)
• Amputation
• Serious eye injuries (including permanent reduction of sight, a penetrating injury, or a burn to the eye)
• Crush injuries to the head or torso causing damage to the brain or internal organs
• Serious burns (including those covering more than 10% of the body, or causing significant damage to the eyes, respiratory system, or other vital organs)
• Scalping requiring hospital treatment
• Loss of consciousness caused by a head injury or asphyxia
• Injuries from working in an enclosed space leading to hypothermia or heat-induced illness, or requiring resuscitation or hospital admission for more than 24 hours

This list is intentionally “high threshold” - it focuses on serious harm. If you’re unsure whether something counts, it’s usually worth getting advice rather than guessing.

3) Over-Seven-Day Injuries To Workers

This is one that catches many small businesses out.

If a worker is injured due to a work-related accident and is unable to work (or cannot do their normal work duties) for more than 7 consecutive days, it’s reportable.

Key points to understand:

• The day of the accident does not count toward the 7 days.
• It’s “consecutive days” - so weekends and rest days can count.
• It’s about inability to perform normal work, not just being “a bit sore”.

Practically, if someone has a workplace injury and you’re adjusting their duties for more than a week (or they’re off sick with that injury), it’s time to consider whether a RIDDOR report is required.

4) Injuries To Non-Workers (Customers, Visitors, Members Of The Public)

If someone who is not a worker (for example, a customer) is injured due to a work-related accident and is taken directly from the scene to hospital for treatment, that’s generally reportable.

Common examples for small businesses include:

• a customer slipping on an unmarked wet floor and being taken to hospital,
• a visitor struck by a falling object and taken from the premises for treatment.

It’s not about whether they later decide to go to hospital themselves - the reportable trigger is typically being taken directly from the accident scene for hospital treatment.

What Counts As RIDDOR Reportable Incidents (Including Dangerous Occurrences)?

Not all RIDDOR reports involve an injury. Some incidents are reportable because they fall within specific “dangerous occurrence” categories, even if nobody actually got hurt.

These are often referred to as dangerous occurrences - and they are a major category of RIDDOR reportable incidents.

Dangerous Occurrences (Near Misses That Must Be Reported)

Dangerous occurrences are specific, defined types of serious near-misses set out in RIDDOR (the list is detailed and sector-specific). Common examples can include:

• Collapse, overturning or failure of load-bearing equipment (for example, certain lifting equipment)
• Electrical incidents (for example, an electrical short circuit or overload causing a fire or explosion)
• Accidental release of substances that could cause serious injury (where the type of substance and circumstances fall within RIDDOR’s defined categories)
• Structural collapse (for example, in construction or building works, where it meets the RIDDOR definition)
• An explosion or fire that results in suspension of normal work activities at the premises for more than 24 hours

If you run a business involving equipment, machinery, installations, or higher-risk environments (like manufacturing, warehousing, hospitality kitchens, or construction), dangerous occurrences are particularly relevant.

Gas Incidents

Some gas incidents are reportable under RIDDOR where there is a death, loss of consciousness, or a person is taken to hospital for treatment, and the incident arises in connection with certain gas-related work (for example, gas distribution, gas filling, or gas fitting/installation work).

In practice, the duty to report often sits with the relevant gas duty-holder (such as the gas distributor, gas filler, or a registered gas engineer/business carrying out gas work). If your business carries out gas work (or you manage premises where gas work is done), don’t assume this is “someone else’s problem” - make sure responsibilities are clear with contractors and duty-holders.

Occupational Diseases

RIDDOR also covers certain diagnosed occupational diseases where these are linked to specific work activities.

Examples can include (depending on job and exposure):

• carpal tunnel syndrome from work involving regular use of vibrating tools,
• severe cramp of the hand or forearm from repetitive work,
• occupational dermatitis from skin exposure,
• hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS),
• occupational asthma.

These aren’t always straightforward. You may need medical confirmation and a careful look at the work connection, especially if the employee has other potential causes outside work.

When Do You Have To Report Under RIDDOR (And What Are The Deadlines)?

Even when something is reportable, timing matters. RIDDOR has different reporting timelines depending on what happened.

Immediate Or “Without Delay” Reports

Some incidents should be reported without delay (and then followed up with a written report if needed), including:

• work-related deaths,
• specified injuries,
• dangerous occurrences.

In practice, most reports are made online, but serious incidents may also involve prompt phone reporting depending on the circumstances and the relevant authority.

Over-Seven-Day Injuries: 15-Day Deadline

If the injury results in over-seven-day absence (or the worker can’t do their normal duties for that period), the report must generally be made within 15 days of the accident.

This means you’ll often need a process for:

• tracking absence lengths,
• recording amended duties, and
• checking whether the 7-day threshold is crossed.

Occupational Diseases: Report When You Receive A Diagnosis

For occupational diseases, the trigger is typically when you receive a diagnosis (for example, a doctor’s written confirmation) and you have reason to believe it is linked to the person’s work activities.

Who Is Responsible For Reporting?

In most cases, the responsibility sits with the employer, a “responsible person” in control of work premises, or the relevant duty-holder.

If you use contractors, agency workers, or have shared workspaces, it’s worth clarifying reporting responsibility in writing. This is the kind of thing that can sit within your internal Workplace policy and operational procedures, so your managers aren’t guessing when something happens.

Do You Also Need To Keep Records?

Yes. RIDDOR reporting is one piece of the puzzle - you should also keep internal records of workplace accidents and investigations.

For many small businesses, the easiest way to manage this is to build it into your onboarding and staff rules (for example, via a Staff handbook) and ensure your core people documents, like your Employment Contract, align with how you handle reporting, absence, investigations, and compliance.

How To Tell If An Injury Or Incident Is “Work-Related” (And Common Grey Areas)

One of the biggest points of confusion isn’t the injury itself - it’s whether it was “in connection with work”.

As a general guide, an incident is more likely to be work-related if it was connected to:

• how the work was carried out (or supervised),
• the equipment, tools, or substances used,
• the condition of the workplace or access routes,
• your systems of work (or lack of them).

But there are grey areas, especially for small businesses with mixed-use spaces and informal setups.

Example: A Customer Trips Over Their Own Bag

If a customer trips over their own belongings in a clear walkway, that may not be “work-related”. But if the trip happened because your layout funnels people through a cluttered area, or stock was left in a public path, it could become reportable if the hospital criteria is met.

Example: An Employee Hurts Their Back Lifting Stock

This often is work-related (manual handling, workload, training, equipment). Whether it becomes a RIDDOR report depends on severity (specified injury) or whether it passes the over-seven-day threshold.

Example: Home Working Injuries

With remote and hybrid working, incidents at home can still be work-related in some cases (for example, if linked to work equipment or required work activity). These situations are fact-specific, so you’ll want a consistent internal approach to reporting and documenting home-working incidents.

Practical Steps For Small Businesses After An Accident (So You Don’t Miss A RIDDOR Report)

When an incident happens, it’s easy to go into “problem-solving mode” and forget the compliance trail.

A simple process can make a big difference. Here’s a practical approach many small businesses adopt.

Step 1: Deal With The Immediate Risk

• Get first aid or emergency help.
• Make the area safe (for example, isolate equipment, clean spills, stop work).
• If needed, preserve the scene for investigation (without putting anyone at further risk).

Step 2: Record What Happened (While It’s Fresh)

• Date/time and exact location.
• Who was involved and witnesses.
• Photos of the scene (where appropriate).
• What equipment/substances were involved.
• Initial description of injuries and treatment given.

If you use CCTV to help understand what happened, make sure you’re doing it in a privacy-compliant way. For example, having clear rules around cameras in the workplace can help you avoid accidentally creating a second legal problem while you’re trying to handle the first.

And if you’re considering recording sound as well as images, be careful - CCTV with audio can raise additional privacy and data protection risks.

Step 3: Work Out If It’s RIDDOR Reportable

Ask these key questions:

• Was it work-related?
• Did it involve a death, specified injury, or dangerous occurrence?
• Is a worker likely to be off work (or off normal duties) for more than 7 days?
• Was a non-worker taken directly to hospital from the scene?
• Is there a diagnosed occupational disease linked to the work?

If you’re on the fence, don’t ignore it. It’s often better to pause, document your reasoning, and get advice.

Step 4: Report Within The Deadline (If Required)

RIDDOR reports are usually submitted through the relevant online reporting portal for the enforcing authority.

Make sure the person responsible in your business knows:

• where the reporting links are saved,
• what information they’ll need, and
• what deadlines apply.

Step 5: Investigate And Fix The Root Cause

RIDDOR reporting doesn’t replace your duty to investigate. A basic investigation should look at:

• what happened (facts),
• why it happened (root cause),
• what controls failed or were missing,
• what changes you’ll make to prevent a repeat.

This is where many small businesses benefit from tightening documentation and training, rather than relying on “common sense” systems that only exist in someone’s head.

Key Takeaways

• RIDDOR reportable injuries can include work-related deaths, specified injuries, and injuries that keep a worker off work (or off normal duties) for more than 7 consecutive days.
• RIDDOR reportable incidents can include “dangerous occurrences” (defined serious near-misses), certain gas incidents, and some diagnosed occupational diseases linked to work activities.
• Deadlines matter: specified injuries and dangerous occurrences should be reported without delay, while over-seven-day injuries generally must be reported within 15 days of the accident.
• Not everything that happens at work is reportable - the incident usually needs to be work-related under the legal test (and some events are genuine non-work accidents).
• A simple internal process (record, assess, report, investigate, improve) helps you avoid missed reports and shows you take compliance seriously.
• Clear written policies and staff documentation make incidents easier to manage consistently, especially when managers are under pressure.

Note: This article is general information, not legal advice. If you’d like help putting the right legal foundations in place - including workplace policies and employment documents that support your health and safety processes - you can reach us at 08081347754 or team@sprintlaw.co.uk for a free, no-obligations chat.