By Stephen Anderson. Last Updated 1st September 2023. In this guide, we will aim to answer the question, “what is RIDDOR?”. The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR) is a piece of legislation. It places a duty on employers, the self-employed and those in control of work premises to report certain injuries, illnesses and near-miss incidents.
If you suffer an injury at work (whether it’s covered by RIDDOR or not), you could be compensated. However, this injury must have been caused by the negligence of your employer in order for you to be able to claim.
What is RIDDOR? A guide
There are many different injuries that could be caused at work, such as a broken elbow, herniated disc or ankle injury. Some accidents and injuries that may occur in work may need to be reported by your employer under RIDDOR.
If you suffer a work injury that was caused by your employer, then you may be able to claim for it whether it’s reported under RIDDOR or not. What matters is whether you can prove your injuries were caused by your employer’s negligence.
In this guide, we’ll examine your employer’s responsibilities in relation to RIDDOR. We’ll also address commonly asked questions such as:
- What is RIDDOR?
- What does RIDDOR cover?
- What compensation amounts could be awarded if you make a successful claim for a work injury reported under RIDDOR?
To help you understand your options, our team of advisors can provide free legal advice about the claims process. During your initial consultation call, your case will be reviewed to see if it has a reasonable chance of success.
If it does, we connect you with a personal injury lawyer from our panel to represent you. If they agree to work on your case, they will do so on a No Win No Fee basis. That means you’ll only have to pay for their work if your claim is a success.
Are you ready to claim for injuries caused by an accident at work today? If so, why not:
- Call us on 0800 408 7825
- Contact us using our online form
- Use the live-chat feature to the bottom right of this screen
Select A Section
- What Is RIDDOR?
- Time Limit For Claiming For Accidents Reported Under RIDDOR
- What Is The Purpose Of RIDDOR?
- Why IS RIDDOR Important?
- RIDDOR Responsibilities
- What Needs To Be Reported Under RIDDOR?
- Reporting Workplace Accidents – Other Forms Of Evidence You Could Present
- Compensation Payouts For Work Accidents Reported under RIDDOR
- Reporting To RIDDOR – Get In Touch To Find Out More
- What Is RIDDOR? Learn More Here
What Is RIDDOR?
You may be wondering, “what’s RIDDOR?”. This is a piece of legislation, the full title of which is the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013.
As a result of RIDDOR, employers, people in control of work premises and the self-employed are required to report:
- Workplace fatalities.
- Specified workplace injuries.
- Certain occupational diseases.
- Near misses (dangerous incidents that had the potential to cause harm).
- Injuries that have persisted for longer than 7 days.
If you are injured at work, you may be able to make a injury claim if:
- Your employer’s negligence led to an accident; and
- You were injured in that accident
Not all accidents need to be reported to RIDDOR. It’s therefore important to state that you could be compensated whether your injury was reportable or not.
Furthermore, we know many employees have concerns about taking legal action against their employer. However, this isn’t something to be concerned about.
Legally, you are entitled to make a claim without the fear of being sacked or disciplined. If you have suffered because of pursuing a claim, you could start a separate constructive or unfair dismissal claim.
Please call today if you have any questions about the claims process. One of our advisors will be happy to offer you free legal advice about claiming.
Why should I report under RIDDOR for certain incidents?
RIDDOR is part of UK law, making the reporting of incidents which it covers a legal requirement for employers, the self-employed and whoever in workplaces is given responsibility for reporting the incidents. If a company or individual does not report a work incident which should be under RIDDOR in time, then the consequences may depend on the seriousness of the incident that wasn’t reported. The guilty party could be fined or even be given a prison sentence.
Time Limit For Claiming For Accidents Reported Under RIDDOR
If you intend to claim for a workplace accident that has been reported under RIDDOR, you must do so within the time limit. The Limitation Act 1980 establishes a three-year time limit for starting a work injury claim, which normally applies from the date of the accident.
Under certain circumstances, the time limit is frozen. If, for instance, the injured party lacks the mental capacity to make a claim, then the time limit is suspended indefinitely. A court-appointed litigation friend may be able to claim instead on the injured party’s behalf. Otherwise, if the injured party later recovers their mental capacity, then the time limit will begin from the day of recovery.
If someone under the age of 18 is injured in an accident at work, then the time limit will be suspended until their 18th birthday. A claim could be made before that date on the injured party’s behalf by a litigation friend. If, however, a claim hasn’t been made when the injured party turns 18, they will have three years from that date to start their own claim.
To ask more questions regarding claims for workplace accidents and how they work, please contact our team for free today.
What Is The Purpose Of RIDDOR?
The main reason RIDDOR exists is so that organisations like the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) can keep an eye on the number of accidents and incidents at work that have the potential to cause harm. The HSE is a government agency responsible for regulating and enforcing workplace health and safety.
To comply with RIDDOR, employers, the self-employed or those responsible for workplaces must report most types of incidents without delay. The report must be made within 10 days of the incident occurring.
Any injury that lasts over 7-days must be reported within 15 days of the incident. This should be done via the appropriate online form.
If the accident in which you were injured was caused by your employer’s negligence, you might be eligible to claim. Some examples of breaches that might allow you to claim include:
- A lack of training.
- Insufficient Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
- Unrepaired or damaged equipment.
- Tiredness caused by a lack of rest brakes.
Please get in touch if you’d like to know more about making a claim for compensation. One of our advisors could connect you with a solicitor from our panel to work on your claim.
Why Is RIDDOR Important?
If RIDDOR didn’t exist, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) may find it difficult to track the rate of workplace accidents, injuries and occupational diseases. Because of RIDDOR, accident trends can be monitored.
This allows investigations into how each accident occurred to be carried out. It also means the HSE can produce training materials to try and prevent similar accidents from occurring. While the HSE can take action against companies that get things wrong, they also provide a lot of guidance and advice on avoiding injuries and illness at work.
RIDDOR Statistics
Some people may ask what, among all the incidents reported under RIDDOR, is the biggest cause of accidents at work. As you can see from the graph below, the most common accident reported under RIDDOR in 2020/21 was slips, trips and falls.
It’s important to note that the injuries that employers report to RIDDOR are not necessarily related to negligence. Therefore, the statistics outlined here may not relate to potentially successful compensation claims.
These figures relate to non-fatal accidents. If you’ve lost a loved one in an accident at work, please call to discuss accidental death compensation claims.
RIDDOR Responsibilities
Let’s now look at responsibilities linked to RIDDOR:
RIDDOR – Employees Responsibility
The responsibility to make sure that reportable injuries under RIDDOR are suitably recorded falls on employers. However, with regard to RIDDOR, employees can have responsibilities to make sure employers are notified of injuries that must be reported.
These are injuries such as fractures or accidents that lead to a loss of consciousness. If employers are not aware they have happened, employees can take it upon themselves to help improve workplace safety by making sure employers are informed of the incident.
Employers Responsibility
When passing on information regarding a workplace injury to RIDDOR, the reporting process is the responsibility of the employer. However, it’s important to remember that not all workplace injuries need to be reported to RIDDOR.
If the injury needs to be reported, then your employer must do this. In the event that your employer does not report to RIDDOR, then it is possible to make the report yourself.
If you want to know more about what to report to RIDDOR in the event that you need to, get in touch with our advisors today.
What Needs To Be Reported Under RIDDOR?
You may be wondering what needs to be reported under RIDDOR to the HSE. There are certain types of reportable incidents such as the death of any person in a fatal accident, this includes deaths to workers and non-workers that have arisen from a work-related accident. Additionally, specified injuries to workers need to be reported. These can include:
- Fractures, excluding those to the fingers, thumbs or toes
- A crush injury to the head that causes brain damage
- A crush injury to the torso resulting in damage to internal organs
- An amputation injury
- Serious burns, including scalding, that causes significant damage to the eyes, vital organs or the respiratory system and burns that cover more than 10% of the body
- A head injury or asphyxia that leads to a loss of consciousness
- A scalping injury that warrants hospital treatment
It’s worth noting that there is a time limit for when you make a report to RIDDOR, meaning you must do so without delay. A report must be received within 10 days of the incident. Continue reading to find out more about what needs to be reported under RIDDOR.
Reporting Workplace Accidents – Other Forms Of Evidence You Could Present
As discussed above, under RIDDOR, reporting certain workplace incidents and accidents to the HSE is a legal requirement for employers. The report and findings of any HSE investigation could be submitted as evidence if you are eligible to make a personal injury claim.
Further examples of evidence that could help support your workplace injury claim include:
- The contact details of any witnesses to the accident so they can give a statement later into the claiming process.
- A copy of your medical records with details about the nature of the injuries you suffered, along with treatment information.
- A copy of the report in the workplace accident book. This could provide information on when and how the accident occurred.
- Videos of the accident, such as CCTV footage.
If you have any questions about reporting workplace accidents, you can contact our advisors. They could also connect you to one of the No Win No Fee solicitors from our panel if you have valid grounds for a claim.
Compensation Payouts For Work Accidents Reported under RIDDOR
Now this guide has explained what must be reported under RIDDOR, this section will clarify how much you could receive from a successful workplace accident claim.
There are two potential heads of losses when making a claim. General damages relate to the physical and psychological injuries that have been caused as a result of third-party negligence. The Judicial College Guidelines give you a clearer idea of what you could receive for this. The figures below have been taken from their latest publication in 2022. This information has been taken from successful claims payouts in England and Wales.
Please remember that figures like these are not guaranteed as your compensation amount is determined by factors including the extent of the injury and how badly the injury has negatively impacted you. As part of the claims process, an independent medical assessment will be performed to determine the nature of your injuries.
| Injury Type | Severity | Compensation Bracket | Extra Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foot | (c) Very severe | £83,960 to £109,650 | This bracket covers foot injuries that result in severe permanent pain or very serious permanent disability. |
| Hand | (d) Amputation | £61,910 to £90,750 | Where the amputation of the index and middle fingers results in the hand being of very little use. |
| Hand | (e) Serious | £29,000 to £61,910 | Injuries like this will reduce the hand to around 50 per cent capacity. |
| Back | (a) Severe (iii) | £38,780 to £69,730 | Disc fractures or lesions causing chronic conditions where disabilities remain after treatment. |
| Back | (c) Minor (iii) | £2,450 to £4,350 | This covers soft tissue damage injuries where recovery is usually complete between three months to a year. |
| Chest Injuries | (c) | £31,310 to £54,830 | Damage to the lungs and chest that causes permanent disability. This could be relevant to industrial illness claims. |
| Neck | (b) Moderate (i) | £24,990 to £38,490 | These types of injuries will cause severe symptoms immediately and might require spinal fusion. |
| Neck | (b) Moderate (ii) | £13,740 to £24,990 | Wrenching-type injuries or severe disc lesions that cause symptoms such as serious movement limitation. |
| Leg | (c) Less serious (i) | £17,960 to £27,760 | This compensation range is for soft tissue injuries or fractures that result in an incomplete recovery. |
| Shoulder | (c) Moderate | £7,890 to £12,770 | For injuries that cause limited movement for around 2-years. |
You may also be able to claim for special damages. These relate to the losses you’ve suffered financially due to the injury. You could claim for losses like:
- Travel expenses
- Loss of earnings
- Care costs
- Adjustments to your home
You would need evidence, such as bank statements and receipts, to show the value of the losses. To learn more about this, please contact us for free using the above details.
Reporting To RIDDOR – Get In Touch To Find Out More
If you have health and safety concerns about your place of work, you can reach out to us for a free consultation with a member of our team. We could speak to you about your rights, your employer’s responsibilities and the incidents that must be reported under RIDDOR – from specified injuries to serious near-miss accidents.
If you were injured and can present a valid claim, we could speak to you about working with a solicitor on a No Win No Fee basis. Doing so means that you would typically not:
- Pay a hiring fee for a solicitor’s services
- Make any ongoing payments to them while your claim is in progress
- Owe any payment for their work if your claim is unsuccessful
Under the terms of a Conditional Fee Agreement – which is a type of No Win No Fee agreement – you would only be charged a success fee in a successful claim. This is a legally capped payment that can only be taken out of a compensation award.
If you want to learn about your eligibility to claim, or to speak more about the importance of reporting to RIDDOR, then you can reach out to us now by:
- Calling at 0800 408 7825
- Using our contact us page
- Using our live chat service
What Is RIDDOR? Learn More Here
Here are some more resources and guides that might be useful:
Your Rights After An Accident At Work – This article looks at what rights you have following a workplace accident.
Claiming For A Minor Injury At Work – Explains when you could be compensated because you injured your back at work.
Lost Wages Claim – Here we look at when you could claim back any earnings lost after an injury at work.
Employment Contracts – Government information on what should be in your contract of employment.
Workplace Machinery – HSE guidance on the safety of workplace machinery and equipment.
Occupational Health – Advice on how to access occupational health services at work.
Hopefully, this article has answered the question, “What is RIDDOR?”. Please get in touch for more information.