RIDDOR Reporting Timescales Explained (When To Report)

Knowing RIDDOR means understanding not only what to report, but also when to report. Because if an accident or incident needs to be reported under RIDDOR, it must be reported within a certain amount of time.

In some cases, this can mean reporting the incident immediately.

In other cases, it can mean within a few days.

So, what are the RIDDOR reporting timescales?

Under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) there are duties to report certain types of injuries, diseases and dangerous occurrences.

Find out more in What Injuries At Work Are RIDDOR Reportable?

Not only do these events need to be reported, but they need to be reported within specified timescales.

Depending on the type of event, RIDDOR timeframes fall into one or more of the following three categories:

• Without delay
• Within 10 days
• Within 15 days

As you can see, some RIDDOR reports must be made immediately, and some give you a few days to notify the HSE.

In this blog post, we will look at when to report each type of RIDDOR-related occurrence, from deaths and serious injuries to illnesses and incidents.

It's worth remembering that in every case, a RIDDOR report should be submitted as soon as possible. It's what RIDDOR requires, and it saves you from worrying about deadlines.

So if you are aware an incident or accident has occurred and know it's reportable under RIDDOR, get it reported straight away.

Let's take a look at the RIDDOR timescales, and when they apply.

Without Delay

Without delay is the most immediate timeframe RIDDOR has to offer. It's pretty urgent and means you should report the incident as soon as possible.

In particular, this timeframe applies to any fatality that occurs as the result of a work-related accident.

It should be no surprise that the most serious of RIDDOR reportable incidents (death), would be required to be reported quickly. When someone dies as a result of a work-related accident, it needs to be investigated.

Even if the death is not immediately after the accident, for example, if someone later dies in hospital, it needs to be reported. As long as the death is caused by the accident, and occurs within one year of the date of the accident.

And it's not just deaths that need to be reported without delay.

Most types of RIDDOR reportable incidents need to be reported without delay.

• Accidents resulting in the death of any person
• Accidents resulting in major injuries to workers
• Accidents requiring hospital treatment to non-workers
• Dangerous occurrences

Certain diseases are also RIDDOR reportable and must be reported without delay.

Diseases like cancers, asthma, hand-arm vibration syndrome, dermatitis and other illnesses caused by, or made worse by, work. This type of RIDDOR report doesn't follow an accident or incident, because work-related diseases often take time to develop. However, these occupational diseases are required to be reported without delay following diagnosis.

For fatal injuries, the HSE provides a phone number (during office hours) to make your initial report. The phone line is available during office hours and is for fatalities only.

However, most RIDDOR reports are made using the online HSE forms. Online reports can be made at any time.

Find out more about how to make a RIDDOR report in How To Report An Accident Under RIDDOR.

10 Days

If without delay sounds a little urgent, that's because it is.

Schedule 1 of RIDDOR states again that in the case of injuries, fatalities and dangerous occurrences, the responsible person must notify the relevant enforcing authority by the quickest practicable means without delay.

But filling in forms and gathering information takes time. So while you must notify without delay, you do get some extra time to send a full report.

RIDDOR allows 10 days for the full report of the incident to be sent in an approved manner (e.g. the full RIDDOR report).

1.—(1) Where required to follow the reporting procedure[…] the responsible person must—

1. notify the relevant enforcing authority of the reportable incident by the quickest practicable means without delay; and
2. send a report of that incident in an approved manner to the relevant enforcing authority within 10 days of the incident.

This doesn't always mean you need to report twice. But if you know it's going to take you a few days to get the RIDDOR report completed, and you could report the incident sooner, you should.

10 days is a maximum, but to comply with the 'without delay' aspect, you need to report as soon as you can.

15 Days

Sometimes, you get a bit longer to report under RIDDOR.

15 days!

But this is only in one specific case. Where a person at work is incapacitated for more than seven consecutive days after a work-related accident (known as an over 7-day injury).

In this case, you get the extra time to report.

And this is because you often won't know until 7 days after the accident whether it is reportable or not. So for this type of injury, you get up to 15 days to report. It is worth noting that this is 15 days from the day of the accident and not 15 days from the 7-day incapacitation.

By day 7 (when you know they have been unable to work for 7 days) you only have 8 days left to make your RIDDOR report.

So, if someone is off work following an accident, it's worth keeping an eye on how long they are unable to carry out their normal work. And be ready to submit your RIDDOR report if needed. 15 days is the maximum and, in practice, the regulations require this to be reported as soon as practicable.

For more information on RIDDOR, you can take the RIDDOR eLearning course. On successful completion of the course, download a certificate for your training records.