Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences (RIDDOR)

Fatality/Major Injury

All deaths to workers and non-workers must be reported if they arise from a work-related accident, including an act of physical violence to a worker. Suicides are not reportable, as the death does not result from a work-related accident. 

• Fracture of the skull, spine or pelvis
• Fracture of any bone in the arm or wrist, but not a bone in the hand; or in the leg or ankle, but not a bone in the foot
• Amputation of a hand or foot, or a finger, thumb or toe, or any part thereof if the joint or bone is completely severed
• The loss of sight of an eye, a penetrating injury to any eye, or a chemical or hot metal bum to the eye
• Injury (including bums) requiring immediate medical treatment, or loss of consciousness, resulting in either case from an electric shock from any electrical circuit or equipment, whether or not due to direct contact
• Loss of consciousness resulting from lack of oxygen
• Decompression sickness requiring immediate medical treatment
• Acute illness requiring treatment, or loss of consciousness, resulting in either case from absorption of any substance by inhalation, ingestion or through the skin.
• Acute illness requiring medical treatment where there is reason to believe that this resulted from exposure to a pathogen or infected material
• Any other injury which results in the person injured being admitted immediately into hospital for more than 24 hours 

Dangerous Occurrences

(This list summarises each of the dangerous occurrences which are reportable) 

• Collapse, overturning or failure of load-bearing parts of lifts and lifting equipment.
• Failure of any load-bearing fairground equipment, or safety arrangement designed to restrain or support passengers.
• Explosion, collapse or bursting of any closed vessel.
• Electrical short circuit or overload causing fire or explosion.
• Explosion or fire causing suspension of normal work for over 24 hours.
• Sudden, uncontrolled release in a building of one tonne or more of:
  • Highly flammable liquid
  • Flammable gas; or
  • Flammable liquid above its boiling point
• Collapse or partial collapse of a scaffold over five metres high.
• Unintended collapse of any building or structure under construction, alteration or demolition where over five tonnes of material falls, or of a wall or floor in a place of work.
• Accidental release of any substance or pathogen likely to cause death, major injury or other damage to the health of any person.
• Any unintentional ignition or explosion of explosives.
• Failure of any freight container in any of its load-bearing parts.
• Dangerous occurrence at a pipeline.
• When a road tanker carrying a dangerous substance overturns, suffers serious damage, catches fire or the substance is released.
• When a dangerous substance being conveyed by road is involved in a fire or released.
• Malfunction of breathing apparatus while in use.
• Plant or equipment coming into contact with overhead power lines.
• Accidental collision of a train with any vehicle. 

Over 3 day injury

Anybody off work for more than three days as a result of an accident at work (not counting the day of the accident but including any days which would not have been working days e.g. Saturday and Sunday)

A specified occupational disease is certified by a doctor. For further information on diseases reportable contact an Environmental Health Officer on tel.no. 685894 

Occupational Diseases 

• Certain poisonings
• Some skin diseases such as skin cancer, chrome ulcer, oil folliculitis/acne
• Lung diseases including occupational asthma, farmer's lung, pneumoconiosis, asbestosis and mesothelioma
• Infections such as leptospirosis, hepatitis, tuberculosis and anthrax
• Other conditions such as: occupational cancer, decompression sickness and vibration white finger 

The full list of reportable diseases, and associated work activities can be found in the Regulations; or by contacting the Inspectorate. 

Gas incidents

(Death/injury/explosion/carbon monoxide poisoning/large leak of more than one tonne) 

Distributors, fillers, importers & suppliers of flammable gas must report incidents where someone has died, lost consciousness, or been taken to hospital for treatment to an injury arising in connection with that gas. Such incidents should be reported using the Report of a Flammable Gas Incident - online form. 

Dangerous Gas Fitting 

Registered gas engineers (under the Gas Safe Register,) must provide details of any gas appliances or fittings that they consider to be dangerous, to such an extent that people could die, lose consciousness or require hospital treatment. The danger could be due to the design, construction, installation, modification or servicing of that appliance or fitting, which could cause: 

• An accidental leakage of gas.
• Incomplete combustion of gas.
• Inadequate removal of products of the combustion of gas. 

Unsafe gas appliances and fittings should be reported using the Report of a Dangerous Gas Fitting - online form. 

It is illegal for an unregistered person to carry out work on any domestic gas appliance. You can check this by accessing the Find an engineer page on the Gas Safe Register online or by calling them on 0800 408 5500.

Electronic reports are submitted directly to the Health and Safety at Work Inspectorate and a confirmation email confirming the submission will be sent to you.

If you would like to submit a hand written report you can download and print a report form.

Health & Safety at Work Inspectorate
Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture
Thie Slieau Whallian
Foxdale Road,
St Johns,
IM4 3AS

• Fracture of the skull, spine or pelvis
• Fracture of any bone in the arm or wrist, but not a bone in the hand; or in the leg or ankle, but not a bone in the foot
• Amputation of a hand or foot, or a finger, thumb or toe, or any part thereof if the joint or bone is completely severed
• The loss of sight of an eye, a penetrating injury to any eye, or a chemical or hot metal bum to the eye
• Injury (including bums) requiring immediate medical treatment, or loss of consciousness, resulting in either case from an electric shock from any electrical circuit or equipment, whether or not due to direct contact
• Loss of consciousness resulting from lack of oxygen
• Decompression sickness requiring immediate medical treatment
• Acute illness requiring treatment, or loss of consciousness, resulting in either case from absorption of any substance by inhalation, ingestion or through the skin.
• Acute illness requiring medical treatment where there is reason to h
• believe that it is resulted from exposure to a pathogen or infected material
• Any other injury which results in the person injured being admitted immediately into hospital for more than 24 hours

• Collapse, overturning or failure of load-bearing parts of lifts and lifting equipment
• Failure of any load-bearing fairground equipment, or safety arrangement designed to restrain or support passengers
• Explosion, collapse or bursting of any closed vessel
• Electrical short circuit or overload causing fire or explosion
• Explosion or fire causing suspension of normal work for over 24 hours
• Sudden, uncontrolled release in a building of one tonne or more of:
  • Highly flammable liquid
  • Flammable gas; or
  • Flammable liquid above its boiling point
• Collapse or partial collapse of a scaffold over five metres high
• Accidental release of any substance or pathogen likely to cause death, major injury or other damage to the health of any person
• Any unintentional ignition or explosion of explosives
• Failure of any freight container in any of its load-bearing parts
• Dangerous occurrence at a pipeline
• When a road tanker carrying a dangerous substance overturns, suffers serious damage, catches fire or the substance is released
• When a dangerous substance being conveyed by road is involved in a fire or released
• Malfunction of breathing apparatus while in use
• Plant or equipment coming into contact with overhead power lines
• Accidental collision of a train with any vehicle

• Certain poisonings
• Some skin diseases such as skin cancer, chrome ulcer, oil folliculitis/acne
• Lung diseases including occupational asthma, farmer's lung, pneumoconiosis, asbestosis and mesothelioma
• Infections such as leptospirosis, hepatitis, tuberculosis and anthrax
• Other conditions such as: occupational cancer, decompression sickness and vibration white finger

• accidents during medical or dental treatment, or during any examination carried out or supervised by a doctor or dentist
• accidents involving a moving vehicle on a public road (other than those associated with: loading or unloading operations; work alongside the road such as road maintenance; escapes of substances from the vehicle and accidents involving trains)
• accidents to members of the armed forces on duty
• If a pupil injured in an incident remains at school, is taken home or is simply absent from school for a number of days, the incident is not reportable.
• Injuries to pupils and visitors who are involved in an accident at school or on an activity organised by the school are only reportable under RIDDOR if the accident results in:
•  The death of the person, and arose out of or in connection with a work activity.
• An injury that arose out of or in connection with a work activity and the person is taken directly from the scene of the accident to hospital for treatment (examinations and diagnostic tests do not constitute treatment). Many of the common incidents that cause injuries to pupils at school tend not to be reportable under RIDDOR, as they do not arise directly from the way the school undertakes a work activity. There is no need to report incidents where people are taken to hospital purely as a precaution, when no injury is apparent. 

Not all accidents need to be reported, a RIDDOR report is required only when:

• the accident is work-related; and
• It results in an injury of a type which is reportable (as listed under Appendix 1) or
• has been off work for 3 days or more

When deciding if the accident that led to the death or injury is work-related, the key issues to consider are whether the accident was related to:

• The way the work was organised, carried out or supervised;
• Any machinery, plant, substances or equipment used for work; and
• The condition of the site or premises where the accident happened. If none of these factors are relevant to the incident, it is likely that a report will not be required

If you have any questions, for example on reportable accidents or dangerous occurrences or any other health and safety matter, contact the Inspectorate who will be pleased to advise you.

Report a Health and Safety Concern