Common questions builders ask about RIDDOR and incident reporting.
What injuries must be reported under RIDDOR?
Under RIDDOR 2013, the following injuries to workers must be reported: deaths, specified injuries (which include fractures other than to fingers, thumbs and toes, amputations, crush injuries leading to internal organ damage, serious burns covering more than 10% of the body or causing significant damage to eyes, respiratory system or other vital organs, scalping requiring hospital treatment, loss of consciousness caused by head injury or asphyxia, and any injury requiring admission to hospital for more than 24 hours), and injuries that result in incapacitation for more than seven consecutive days (not counting the day of the accident). Injuries to non-workers — members of the public, visitors, clients — must be reported if the person is taken directly to hospital for treatment. The key distinction is between workers and non-workers: for workers, you report specified injuries and over-7-day incapacitation; for non-workers, you report injuries that result in them being taken to hospital.
How quickly do I need to report a RIDDOR incident?
The reporting deadline depends on the type of incident. Deaths and specified injuries must be reported without delay — you should notify the HSE immediately by the quickest practicable means. In practice, this means calling the HSE Incident Contact Centre on 0345 300 9923 for fatalities and very serious incidents, or reporting online at the HSE website as soon as possible. You must then follow up with a written report within 10 days. For over-7-day incapacitation injuries — where a worker is unable to carry out their normal duties for more than seven consecutive days — you have 15 days from the date of the accident to submit the report. Dangerous occurrences must be reported without delay, similar to deaths and specified injuries. Occupational diseases must be reported as soon as a doctor notifies you or you receive a diagnosis. Missing these deadlines is a criminal offence, so it is important to understand which category your incident falls into and act accordingly.
Do I need to report a broken bone under RIDDOR?
It depends on which bone is broken and who was injured. For workers, fractures are classified as specified injuries under RIDDOR — but only fractures other than to fingers, thumbs and toes. So if a worker breaks an arm, a leg, a rib, a collarbone, a wrist, or an ankle on your site, that is a specified injury and must be reported without delay. A broken finger or toe does not need to be reported as a specified injury, though it may still be reportable as an over-7-day incapacitation injury if the worker is unable to carry out their normal duties for more than seven consecutive days as a result. For non-workers — such as members of the public or visiting clients — a broken bone must be reported if the person is taken directly to hospital for treatment. In practice, most broken bones on construction sites will be reportable one way or another. When in doubt, report it — the HSE would rather receive a report that turns out to be unnecessary than miss one that should have been made.
What is a dangerous occurrence under RIDDOR?
A dangerous occurrence is a specific type of incident listed in Schedule 2 of RIDDOR 2013 that did not result in a reportable injury but had the potential to cause serious harm. In construction, the most relevant dangerous occurrences include: the collapse, overturning or failure of load-bearing parts of lifts, hoists, cranes, or scaffolding; the accidental release of any substance that could cause injury to any person; an electrical short circuit or overload attended by fire or explosion that results in the stoppage of the plant for more than 24 hours; the collapse or partial collapse of any building or structure under construction; and the unintentional collapse or partial collapse of any scaffold over five metres high. These are sometimes called near misses, but they are more than that — they are legally defined events that must be reported to the HSE without delay. The full list is in Schedule 2 of the Regulations and it is worth reading through it so you know what applies to your type of work.
What happens if I fail to report a RIDDOR incident?
Failing to report a RIDDOR incident is a criminal offence under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. If the HSE discovers that a reportable incident occurred and was not reported, you can be prosecuted. The penalties are significant — an unlimited fine in the Crown Court or a fine of up to £20,000 in the Magistrates' Court. In serious cases, individuals can face imprisonment. Beyond the legal penalties, failing to report damages your credibility with the HSE. If an inspector discovers unreported incidents during a site visit or investigation, it suggests that your health and safety management is poor and that you are not taking your legal duties seriously. This makes enforcement action — improvement notices, prohibition notices, or prosecution — far more likely. It can also affect your ability to win future work, since many clients and principal contractors now ask about your incident reporting record. The message is simple: if in doubt, report it. The process takes a few minutes online and protects you legally.