What you need to know about RIDDOR! | QCS

What you need to know about RIDDOR!

Dementia Care
March 9, 2017

Introduction

As a social care provider part of your role as a manager will be to report accidents, incidents and near-misses. You may use a paper-based system or an online reporting system. The big question is when to report this to the HSE under RIDDOR and what is required.

What is RIDDOR and who should report it?

RIDDOR is the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 and was revised from 1st October 2013 (RIDDOR 2013). This legislation applies across the whole of health and social care sector aimed at employers, and those with responsibility under the duty of the act. Each NHS trust, Social care provider (public or private) will have a senior person who is charged with ensuring that RIDDOR events are reported.

When and what is reportable?

The law requires the responsible person to report to the HSE under RIDDOR the following events that “arise out of or in connection with work”:

  • The death of any person – this may be at the place of work or work related (death may be immediate or the result of a work-related event which occurs up to one year from the date of the accident.
  • Accidents to an employee or a self -employed person who dies, suffers reportable injury or is absent from work and unable to fulfil normal duties for more than seven consecutive days (including weekends but not the day of injury).
  • Accidents of a person not at work (a patient, service user, visitor) who suffers injury and is taken directly to hospital for treatment or if the accident occurs at hospital, they suffer reportable injuries.
  • An employee or self-employed person has a listed occupational disease or is exposed to carcinogens, mutagens or biological agents.
  • Notifiable dangerous events, which do not cause injury but have the potential to cause significant harm (near miss event).

Why must I report it?

You must report a RIDDOR event as failure to do so would be a criminal offence which could result in prosecution. By reporting an incident, it is NOT an admission of liability!

What does the law require?

The law requires that you keep a record of the following:

  • Date and method of reporting (ie: F2058 accident book or e-based system) NB: all over-3 day injuries must be kept under the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1979
  • Date, time and place of event
  • Personal details of those involved
  • The injury
  • Brief description of event or disease

Records must be kept for 3 years if injury, disease or a dangerous event occurs.

How soon does a RIDDOR event need reporting?

All reportable events must be notified to the HSE and enforcing authority i.e. police without delay.

  • A report to the HSE must be no later than 10 days of the incident.
  • 7-day injuries must be reported within 15 days of the incident.
  • Disease must be reported as soon as a registered medical practitioner (RMP) notifies you in writing.

How to report?

Online – Go to www.hse.gov.uk/riddor – the form will guide you through and goes directly to the RIDDOR database. You will get a copy of your form with a reference number emailed back.

Telephone – For fatal and major injuries only – incident contact centre 0345 300 9923 [Monday to Friday 8.30am to 5pm]

The type of circumstances where HSE may need to respond out of hours are:

  • following a work-related death
  • following a serious incident where there have been multiple casualties
  • following an incident which has caused major disruption such as evacuation of people, closure of roads, large numbers of people going to hospital etc.

If your incident fits these descriptions ring the duty officer on 0151 922 9235.

Further information:

HSE website: http://www.hse.gov.uk

RIDDOR guidance: www.hse.gov.uk/pubs/ind453.htm

RIDDOR in health and social care. Guidance for employers: www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/hsis1.pdf

Dave Bennion
Dave Bennion

Health and Safety Specialist

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