Health and Safety Executive Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) Ron Griffiths HM Inspector of Health and Safety HSE, Field Operations Directorate

Consequences? Girl Dies after Slipping on Ice – The Sun (2009) Boy, 10, Dies on School Field Trip – The Sun (2007) Pupil critical after falling through school roof while trying to retrieve a football – Daily Mail Ban scrums in school rugby to stop brain injuries - professor – The Scotsman (2010)

RIDDOR purpose Guide regulatory activities –investigations & enforcement where appropriate –intelligence (planning, strategies, targeting, developing guidance) –statistics (trends, evidence base, target activities, monitor progress) Meet legal obligations (European & UK law) Feed into employers’ health and safety management systems show how risks arise and show trends to inform accident prevention work

RIDDOR barriers Lack of awareness Complexity & scale of RIDDOR Potential HSE investigation – ramifications of enforcement Liability to personal injury claims Statistical value (benefits) not apparent ? Under reporting

RIDDOR Under reporting 2009/10 – Non-fatal injuries to employees 57% (58% 08/09, 50% 07/08)

RIDDOR Statistics sources: me.aspx me.aspx

What to report? Fatality Major injury Hospital treatment Dangerous occurrence Over three days – unable to do normal work (Lord Young Report – Consultation on the proposal to amend to over 7 days) Disease – (employee only) diagnosed by medic, engaged in listed work activity Regulatory authority needs to be informed of the following ‘arising out of or in connection with work activity’:

RIDDOR Deaths & Injuries – Necessary elements: Accident That arises out of or is connected to the work activity Results in a death, major or O3D * injury for people at work (Not day of accident, 3 consecutive days, need not immediately follow the day of the accident) Death, taken from the site to a hospital for treatment – not at work

RIDDOR Occupational Diseases: Reg 5, Schedule 3 Must be diagnosed by a registered medical practioner (doctor) Sufferer must be doing the work activity listed for that disease – eg hand arm vibration syndrome – must work with vibrating tools – grinding, etc.

How to report? – the process Responsible person (e.g. employer or person in control of premises) Quickest practicable means (e.g. telephone, fax, ) to the Contact Centre (ICC / single point of contact

How to report? Use of appropriate forms (F2508 or F2508A) Adequate details –Contact details for follow up –Sufficient details to inform investigation selection criteria e.g. agent involved, circumstances,

Dangerous occurrences RIDDOR Regulation 3, Schedule 2(1) Schedule 2 of RIDDOR DO 1 – Lifting Machinery DO 2 – Failure of closed vessel – potential to cause death DO 5 – Electrical short circuit – fire & explosion – stoppage of plant for more than 24 hours RIDDOR Regulation 3, Schedule 2(1)

RIDDOR Dangerous Occurrences DO 19 – Explosion and Fire – In any plant or premises that results in suspension of normal work for more than 24 hours. DO 20 – Escape of Flammable Substances – Inside a building (100 KG liquid, 10 KG liquid above its boiling point, 10KG gas) – Open air – 500 KGs (Flammable = CHIP 2002) DO 21 – Escape of Substances – Any substance in a quantity sufficient to cause death, major injury or any other damage to the health of any person.

RIDDOR Key facts:- 152 fatal accidents at work 121, 430 other injuries to employees (233,000 – Labour Force Survey) 28.5 million working days lost (1.2 per worker) 23.4 million due to work-related ill health 1033 Offences prosecuted by HSE (287 LA) 15,881 – Enforcement Notices

Investigation selection criteria HSE reviews F2508/F2508A Assesses against mandatory investigation selection criteria Allocates for investigation. Mandatory investigations:- Deaths, certain major injuries automatically considered for investigation (other major and O3D injury reports should be checked for indicators of possible serious breaches of health and safety law).

RIDDOR - Guidance

RIDDOR Q&A Arising out of, or connected to the work activity? Accident? Reportable injury? Reportable occupational disease? Who reports?

RIDDOR – Q&A 1 Assault on student – Reportable? NO Verbal assault on staff member – Reportable? NO Occupational stress – Reportable? NO Chair breaks – person at work injures spine – Reportable? Yes – Major or O3D

RIDDOR Q&A 2 Student injured because of faulty college equipment when on field trip – who reports? Person in control of premises Lecturer injured when slips on floor when wet after cleaning – reportable? Yes – if Major or O3D Student climbs college wall for a bet and falls injuring themselves – Reportable? No

RIDDOR Q&A 3 Member of staff absent for 5 days after physical assault – reportable? Yes (Physical or psychological?) Student has seizure, falls to ground injuring head and is taken to hospital and receives treatment – Reportable? NO

Summary Not all reportable incidents will be investigated by HSE Not all RIDDOR reportable All incidents should be analysed and lessons learned & shared Provide reports promptly

RIDDOR Consultation

O3D to O7D Lord Young “Common Sense, Common Safety” O7D – aligns with “fit note” (excludes the day of the accident) htm htm

RIDDOR - Consultation The impact assessment’s main findings are that, if implemented, Lord Young’s recommended change will result in a 28% reduction in the number of reports made by business to the regulators, realising:- a net benefit to business of £1.7 millions over a ten-year equivalent period and a net saving to central and local government of £3.8 millions over the same ten-year period.

Questions?