Changes to RIDDOR proposed
The HSE has reviewed the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 2013 and is likely to make changes.
The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations were originally introduced in 1995 and subsequently revised in 2013. The revisions to the Regulations involved simplifying the reporting requirements through:
- Reducing the list of 47 specified ill-health conditions to 8 work-related diseases
- Reducing the types of dangerous occurrence’s
- Reducing the list of specified injuries to workers
The aim was to make the Regulations more clear, prevent duplication of data collection, and to ensure that they were compliant with EU legislation. The Regulations also had a clause requiring them to be reviewed within five years. This was the driver for the post-implementation review which was published in October 2018.
The first proposed change to the Regulations is in respect of reporting of non-fatal injuries to non-workers (Regulation 5). There is substantial over-reporting of injuries, particularly in the health, education and leisure sectors. The HSE proposes to change this Regulation to have a new reporting requirement based on the severity of injury.
The second proposed changes relates to categories of work related diseases which have to be reported. RIDDOR 2013 significantly reduced the number of occupational diseases to be reported. With the HSE’s long term focus on work-related ill health, the exclusion of these diseases reduces the scope for research and the evidence base to improve worker health. As a result, the HSE proposes to add back into the list a number of work-related diseases relating to lung diseases, diving, and chemical poisoning that are of specific interest to them.
Finally, the HSE aims to improve the clarity of the Regulations in order to enhance understanding of them. Once more detail is available we will provide an update.