RIDDOR
Plain English. Practical detail. UK context.
RIDDOR means the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations. It requires specified work-related events to be reported by the responsible person. It is not a rule that every accident or near miss must be reported to HSE, and reporting does not replace emergency response, investigation or corrective action.
Safety: gas work must only be done by a Gas Safe registered engineer who is qualified for that type of appliance. Check their ID card or the Gas Safe Register. If you smell gas, leave the property and call the gas emergency number: 0800 111 999 in Great Britain or 0800 002 001 in Northern Ireland.
Last reviewed: (editorial review against the public sources listed below).
Establish work connection and category
HSE distinguishes reportable injuries, occupational diseases, dangerous occurrences and gas incidents. The event and circumstances determine the requirement. A homeowner injured during work can raise a different reporting question from an employee's injury, but not every hospital visit meets the same test. The responsible business should check the current guidance rather than guess from how serious an incident appears. Trainees should promptly tell the supervisor what happened and preserve accurate information without assuming they personally must submit every statutory report. Internal recording can be necessary even where statutory reporting is not.
Incapacitation and recording have different thresholds
HSE describes reporting where a work-related accident prevents normal duties for more than seven consecutive days, excluding the accident day but including rest days. Its guidance states the report must be made within fifteen days of the accident for that category. It separately describes recording for over-three-day incapacitation. These are not interchangeable rules or the only reportable categories. Specified injuries and other events can have different requirements. Check the actual category and timing rather than wait for seven days in every case or assume absence from the site is the only relevant test.
Diseases and dangerous occurrences matter too
A diagnosed occupational condition can be reportable when the relevant criteria and work connection are met. Certain dangerous occurrences can require reporting even without injury. HSE's detailed lists and sector-specific scope need reading rather than a blanket statement that every dropped object is reportable. Gas incidents and dangerous gas fittings have specific reporting arrangements. Trainees should record observations factually and avoid inventing a diagnosis or legal conclusion. Suitable competent advice may be needed where the relationship between event, work and reportable category is unclear.
What homeowners and tradespeople should do with records
Emergency assistance and making the situation safe come first. The responsible contractor should then assess reporting, investigate causes and review controls. A report is not a finding of blame, an insurance claim or proof that corrective work is complete. Homeowners should receive relevant information about ongoing risks and changes to site arrangements. Prices and outcomes vary from job to job, so compare written, itemised quotations rather than relying on a typical figure. HSE guidance concerns Great Britain; check the appropriate Northern Ireland framework where relevant. Keep accurate incident and follow-up records securely, while trainees learn that honest early reporting supports prevention rather than hiding an event because the paperwork seems inconvenient.
Frequently asked questions
Does every accident need a RIDDOR report?
No. Check work connection and the specific reportable category.
Does submitting a report complete the safety response?
No. Emergency action, investigation and effective corrections remain necessary.
Sources and further reading
Public sources and further reading. Sources checked: 8 November 2026. Consult the original for details and later changes.