As of 1st October 2013, the requirements for businesses to report accidents under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) changed. The good news is that the latest update has introduced changes which clarify and simplify the requirements and that help to ensure business compliance.
The main differences in the requirements that you should be aware of are:
The former classification of ‘major’ injuries has been revised and replaced with a shorter list of ‘specified injuries’:
- fractures, other than to fingers, thumbs and toes;
- amputations;
- any injury likely to lead to permanent loss of sight or reduction in sight;
- any crush injury to the head or torso causing damage to the brain or internal organs
- serious burns (including scalding) which cover more than 10% of the body and/or cause significant damage to the eyes, respiratory system or other vital organs
- any scalping requiring hospital treatment;
- Working at height
- any loss of consciousness caused by head injury or asphyxia;
- any other injury arising from working in an enclosed space which leads to hypothermia or heat-induced illness or requires resuscitation or admittance to hospital for more than 24 hours.
In addition the 47 types of industrial disease have been replaced with 8 categories of reportable work-related illness comprising:
- carpal tunnel syndrome;
- severe cramp of the hand or forearm;
- occupational dermatitis;
- hand-arm vibration syndrome;
- occupational asthma;
- tendonitis or tenosynovitis of the hand or forearm;
- any occupational cancer;
- any disease attributed to an occupational exposure to a biological agent.
Click here for the full list of categories.
Click here for further information on the changes to the RIDDOR legislation.
Don’t forget you still need to report any staff injuries which result in an absence of 7 or more days.
In addition, accidents resulting in an over three day (but less than seven day) absence from work must be recorded but do not need to be reported under RIDDOR. However, you must ensure that you are keeping an accident book to record the incident details.
Or see our comprehensive CIEH Health & Safety training courses:
CIEH Level 3 Award in Supervising Health & Safety in the Workplace (3 days)
CIEH Level 4 Award in Health & Safety in the Workplace (5 days)