16th July 2013
HSE publishes details of proposed RIDDOR changes due in October
The mandatory reporting of workplace injuries is set to be made simpler for businesses under proposed changes published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
It is hoped the proposed changes to the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (Riddor) 1995 will clarify reporting requirements and ensure the information collected paints a useful and accurate picture of incidents in the workplace.
The changes are subject to Parliamentary approval but it is hoped they will be in place from October 2014. Lighthouse will of course be keeping clients fully up to date with any such changes.
Overall, fewer incidents will have to be reported and it is forecast that the changes will save businesses £5.9 million over the next 10 years.
The main changes will be to simplify the reporting requirements in the following areas:
- The classification of ‘major injuries’ to workers replaced with a shorter list of ‘specified injuries’
- The existing schedule detailing 47 types of industrial disease to be replaced with eight categories of reportable work-related illness
- Fewer types of ‘dangerous occurrence’ will require reporting
There will not be any significant changes to the reporting requirements for:
- Fatal accidents
- Accidents to non-workers (members of the public)
- Accidents resulting in a worker being unable to perform their normal range of duties for more than seven days
Additionally, they will not alter the current ways to report an incident at work and the criteria that determine whether an incident should be investigated will remain the same.
Further information is available from our health and safety consultants on the advice line – 0845 459 1724
