A RIDDOR Reminder
Apr 27, 2010
As part of regular contact with our colleagues in the Claims Department at Wilby Ltd, we see that there is some confusion and a lack of knowledge amongst some employers regarding the requirements to report accidents. The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR) are the regulations which place duties on employers to report accidents and incidents to an appropriate enforcing authority, the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) or their local authority. To help employers, there is guidance available to assist in working out if an accident is reportable, and how to make the report. Some key points to remember are:
- In the event of a fatality or major injury, report by the quickest practicable means (e.g. telephone) and in written form within 10 days.
- Written reports of accidents should be made on the HSE’s F2508 form.
- Major injuries include fractures of bones other than fingers, thumbs or toes; amputation; dislocation of hip, knee or spine and any penetrating injury to the eye.
- An employee with an injury requiring admittance to hospital for more than 24 hours is a major injury.
- If a non- worker, e.g. member of the public, is injured at a workplace and is taken to hospital the event is reportable (regardless of the length of admittance to hospital).
- If an employee is unfit for normal duties on the 4th day after the day of the accident, this is reportable in written form. All days, regardless of whether the worker would normally have been at work or not, are counted.
- Dangerous occurrences include collapse, overturning or failure of load bearing parts of lifts and lifting equipment; explosion of any closed vessel or associated pipe work; plant coming into contact with overhead power lines.
To make reporting accidents easier, a report can be made to the HSE’s Incident Contact Centre (ICC)
by calling 0845 300 9923 or on line at www.hse.gov.uk/riddor/index.htm
If in doubt we would recommend that you always make a report. It is not an offence to inform the ICC of non-reportable accidents but failure to report a reportable accident is a breach of RIDDOR, and can result in a prosecution.
If you need further assistance, contact Mark Dalton, Wilby Risk Management 01422 358 525 or request a callback by clicking here
