THE ANSWER, FIRST
Not every accident is reportable under RIDDOR. Establish whether the event is work-related and falls within a reportable category, then follow the applicable reporting requirements.
Check the sourceJump to a section
Who is responsibleYour next stepsBefore spending moneyWhat you can do yourselfPutting it into practiceRecords to keepWhen to reviewCommon questionsOfficial sourcesWho is responsible?
Responsible persons, generally employers, relevant self-employed people and those in control of premises.
Report work-related incidents that meet the RIDDOR criteria. Not every accident is reportable; the incident type and circumstances determine the requirement.
START HERE
Your next three steps
- 1
Deal with immediate safety and medical needs first.
- 2
Establish the facts and check the relevant HSE reporting category.
- 3
Follow the correct reporting route and deadline and retain appropriate records.
BEFORE YOU PAY
Make sure you’re buying the right job
- Record the facts and preserve relevant information.
- Check the category and deadline in HSE’s guidance.
- Agree who in the organisation makes and follows up the report.
Watch out: An entry in an accident book is not a RIDDOR report. Do not decide reportability from the injury description alone.
Compare the whole cost of two quotesWhat can you do yourself?
Put a clear internal reporting and escalation process in place. Keep an accurate account of what happened; do not turn uncertainty into a definitive classification.
When to get competent help
Seek competent advice promptly if you are unsure whether an incident is reportable. Do not let the process of buying advice delay urgent action or a reporting deadline.
Prepare an escalation route before an incident occurs
Before you commission work
Identify who gathers incident information, who makes the reporting decision and who covers their absence. Keep a route to the current official guidance readily available. If buying advisory support, check its response availability and whether incident classification is within the agreed scope.
Follow through on the result
Keep a factual chronology, the decision made and any report reference together. Distinguish internal investigation from any external reporting requirement. Review what the event reveals about your controls, and track the resulting actions separately from the administrative task of submitting a report. Do not wait for a routine adviser appointment when a reporting deadline may apply.
Keep a useful record
Aim for information that helps the next person make a sound decision.
- The event, date, people involved and factual information.
- The basis for the reporting decision.
- Any report reference and resulting preventive action.
When to review it
Event-triggered. Deadlines differ by category; consult the official guidance promptly.
Ask a supplier to distinguish a legal deadline, a recommendation based on risk and a condition in your contract or insurance. They are not interchangeable.
Questions to put to a provider
- Who is the responsible person for this report?
- Which reporting category applies?
- What changes will prevent a recurrence?
Common questions
Is every workplace injury reportable?
No. HSE identifies specific categories. Work-relatedness and the type of injury or event matter.
Check the official sources
Read the current guidance for the place where you operate. A link is not an endorsement of this website by the regulator.
Source-checked guidance. Specialist editorial sign-off is pending; this is not an assessment of your business. It does not cover every specialist activity or replace competent, case-specific advice.
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