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If you have ever paused after a workplace accident and wondered what is RIDDOR reportable, you are not alone. It is one of the most common points of confusion for employers, supervisors, and staff with health and safety duties – especially when the incident feels serious, but not obviously major. Getting it wrong can mean failing a legal duty. Over-reporting, on the other hand, can create unnecessary admin and uncertainty.
RIDDOR stands for the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013. In simple terms, it sets out which serious work-related incidents must be formally reported to the relevant enforcing authority. For most workplaces, that means the Health and Safety Executive, although some sectors fall under local authority enforcement.
The key point is this: not every accident at work is reportable under RIDDOR. The incident must meet specific criteria. That is where many people get stuck.
What is RIDDOR reportable in practice?
A RIDDOR reportable incident is a work-related event that falls into one of the legally defined categories. These include certain deaths, specified injuries, injuries causing more than seven days away from normal work duties, diagnosed occupational diseases, dangerous occurrences, and certain gas-related incidents.
Two facts matter straight away. First, the event must usually be work-related. Secondly, it must fit one of the categories in the regulations. A minor cut, trip, or bruise may need recording in an accident book, but that does not automatically make it RIDDOR reportable.
Work-related does not only mean something happened at a workplace. It means the way the work was carried out, the equipment used, the condition of the site, or the actions of others at work contributed to the incident. If someone faints at work because of a personal medical condition unrelated to the job, that would not normally be reportable. If they fall because of an unsafe floor surface, it may be.
The main categories of reportable incidents
Deaths
A death must be reported if it results from a work-related accident, including an act of physical violence. This applies to workers and non-workers, such as visitors or members of the public, if the death arises from work activity.
There are exceptions and grey areas. If a person dies from a medical episode that was not caused by the work event itself, it may not fall under RIDDOR. The cause and context matter, which is why early fact-finding is so important.
Specified injuries
Certain injuries to workers are always reportable when they are work-related. These are called specified injuries. They include fractures other than to fingers, thumbs and toes, amputations, injuries likely to lead to permanent loss or reduction of sight, crush injuries to the head or torso causing damage to the brain or internal organs, serious burns, scalping requiring hospital treatment, and loss of consciousness caused by head injury or asphyxia.
They also include injuries from working in an enclosed space that lead to hypothermia, heat-induced illness, or resuscitation or hospital admission for more than 24 hours.
This is one area where people often make assumptions. For example, not every fracture is reportable, and not every hospital visit means the incident is reportable. The exact type of injury still matters.
Over-seven-day injuries
If a worker is injured in a work-related accident and cannot perform their normal work duties for more than seven consecutive days, the incident is reportable. The seven days do not include the day of the accident, but they do include weekends and rest days.
This category catches many incidents that seem moderate rather than severe. A back injury, sprain, or fall may not be a specified injury, but if the person is off work or unable to do their usual tasks for over seven days, a report is required.
There is also a separate recordkeeping duty for over-three-day injuries, even when they are not reportable under RIDDOR. That is another common source of confusion. Reportable and recordable are not the same thing.
Occupational diseases
Some diseases must be reported when a doctor has made a diagnosis and the disease is linked to the person’s work. Examples include carpal tunnel syndrome caused by regular use of vibrating tools, severe cramp of the hand or forearm, occupational dermatitis, hand-arm vibration syndrome, occupational asthma, tendonitis or tenosynovitis in the hand or forearm, and certain cancers linked to workplace exposure.
This category often affects sectors such as construction, manufacturing, health and social care, cleaning, food production, hair and beauty, and education support roles where repetitive activity or exposure can build up over time.
Dangerous occurrences
Dangerous occurrences are certain near-miss events with high potential for harm. They may not result in injury, but they are still reportable because of the serious risk involved.
Examples include the collapse or failure of lifting equipment, accidental contact with overhead power lines, electrical short circuits causing fire or explosion, failure of pressure systems, explosions, structural collapse, and the accidental release of hazardous substances.
This matters because some organisations only think in terms of injury. Under RIDDOR, some incidents are reportable even when no one is hurt.
Incidents involving non-workers
If a member of the public or another non-worker is injured because of a work-related accident and is taken directly from the scene to hospital for treatment, the incident may be reportable.
The phrase directly from the scene is important. If someone later decides to visit hospital as a precaution, that is different. Also, diagnostic checks alone do not necessarily count as treatment. Again, details matter.
What is not usually RIDDOR reportable?
A lot of everyday workplace events do not meet the threshold. Minor injuries, first aid cases, routine absences under seven days, and incidents not connected to work activity are generally not reportable. Stress by itself is not automatically reportable unless it forms part of a diagnosed occupational disease that falls within the regulations. COVID-19 also has specific reporting rules and should not be treated casually as a standard absence issue.
It is also worth remembering that RIDDOR is not the same as internal reporting. A business should still record and investigate lower-level incidents if they reveal hazards, poor procedures, or training gaps.
Who is responsible for reporting?
The duty usually sits with the responsible person. In an employer-led workplace, this is normally the employer. In some settings, it could be the person in control of the premises, a self-employed person, or someone managing work activities.
Employees may notify managers or complete internal accident forms, but they are not usually the person making the formal RIDDOR submission unless that responsibility has been assigned as part of their role. In practice, line managers, health and safety officers, HR teams, and business owners all need to know where the responsibility sits so nothing is missed.
When must a RIDDOR report be made?
Timing depends on the type of incident. Fatalities and major events should be reported without delay. Over-seven-day injuries must be reported within 15 days of the accident. Diseases are reported once there is a relevant diagnosis and a clear work link.
This is why prompt internal reporting matters. If an injury at first seems minor but the worker remains off beyond seven days, the reportable status changes. A delayed review can easily lead to missed deadlines.
Why getting it right matters
RIDDOR is not just paperwork. It helps regulators identify patterns, high-risk sectors, and recurring failures in equipment, systems, supervision, or training. For employers, accurate reporting also supports better investigations and stronger compliance. For workers, it contributes to safer environments and clearer accountability.
Just as importantly, understanding reportable incidents builds confidence. If you work in construction, care, education, catering, warehousing, or office management, you may be expected to recognise when an event crosses the legal threshold. That knowledge is practical, employability-focused, and valuable across many roles.
For learners building their skills around workplace safety, this is exactly the kind of topic where structured training makes a difference. A good health and safety course helps you move beyond guesswork and understand how legal duties apply in real working situations.
A simple way to assess an incident
When an incident happens, ask four questions. Was it work-related? Did it cause death, a specified injury, more than seven days away from normal duties, a reportable disease, or a dangerous occurrence? Was a non-worker taken directly to hospital for treatment? And who in the organisation is responsible for making the report?
If the answer is unclear, do not rely on memory or assumptions. Check the facts, review the category carefully, and document the decision. In health and safety, confidence comes from clarity, not guesswork.
The most useful habit is not memorising every line of the regulations. It is learning how to assess incidents calmly, record them properly, and recognise when legal reporting applies. That approach will serve you well in any workplace where safety matters.
