Written by Rick Gregory, Editorial Lead · Legal information checked in collaboration with Edward & Amaury Solicitors (SRA 800525) · September 2026 · ~5 min read
Quick Summary
- RIDDOR stands for the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013, and requires employers to report certain workplace accidents to the Health and Safety Executive
- Deaths, specified serious injuries, and dangerous occurrences must be reported without delay, with formal notification completed within 10 days
- Injuries causing more than 7 days' incapacitation must be reported within 15 days of the accident
- Whether your accident was reportable, or was actually reported, does not determine your right to claim compensation — but a RIDDOR report can be useful supporting evidence
What is RIDDOR?
RIDDOR — the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 — is the legal framework requiring employers (and certain others in control of premises) to report specified categories of workplace accident, illness, and dangerous occurrence to the Health and Safety Executive. It exists to help the HSE monitor workplace safety trends and identify where enforcement or guidance is needed, not primarily as part of the personal injury claims process.
What has to be reported, and when?
- Deaths and specified serious injuries (including fractures other than to fingers, toes or thumbs, amputations, serious burns, and loss of consciousness) must be reported without delay, with the formal report submitted within 10 days
- Dangerous occurrences — near-miss events with the potential to cause serious harm, even if nobody was actually hurt — also require reporting without delay, within 10 days
- Injuries causing a worker to be incapacitated for more than 7 consecutive days (not counting the day of the accident itself) must be reported within 15 days of the accident
- Injuries causing incapacitation of more than 3 days, while not requiring a report to the HSE, must still be recorded in the employer's own accident book
Does my accident need to have been RIDDOR-reportable for me to claim?
No. Whether your specific accident met the threshold for RIDDOR reporting has no bearing on your right to bring a personal injury claim. Many valid, successful claims involve injuries that didn't meet the RIDDOR reporting threshold at all — RIDDOR is a regulatory reporting system, not a gateway to compensation.
Does it matter if my employer didn't report a RIDDOR-reportable accident?
Your employer's failure to report doesn't prevent you from claiming — your right to compensation depends on whether their negligence caused your injury, not on whether they complied with their separate regulatory reporting duty. That said, a failure to report can be relevant evidence: it may reflect wider gaps in how seriously your employer treated health and safety obligations, and it's the kind of detail your solicitor will want to know about.
Can I request a copy of my RIDDOR report?
Yes, where one exists. If your accident was reported, you can ask your employer for a copy, and your solicitor can request it formally as part of gathering evidence for your claim.
Does RIDDOR reporting mean my employer has admitted fault?
No — reporting an accident under RIDDOR is a regulatory notification, not an admission of legal liability. Your employer can report an accident (as they're legally required to) while still disputing that they were at fault for it. The two are separate processes.
What if my employer discourages me from reporting, or won't record it?
Being told not to report a workplace accident, or having a genuine accident go unrecorded, is a serious matter. It may interfere with a protected health and safety activity under the Employment Rights Act 1996. Make your own written record of what happened and give it to your solicitor — this doesn't prevent you making a claim, and your employer's reluctance to record it can itself be relevant.
Frequently asked questions
Who is responsible for making a RIDDOR report — me or my employer?
Your employer (or the person in control of the premises where the accident happened) is responsible for RIDDOR reporting — it isn't something you're required to do yourself.
Does RIDDOR apply to near-misses where nobody was hurt?
Yes, for dangerous occurrences — certain serious near-miss events must be reported even without an actual injury, because of their potential to have caused serious harm.
If my accident wasn't RIDDOR-reportable, is it not worth claiming for?
Not at all — RIDDOR's reporting threshold is unrelated to whether you have a valid personal injury claim. Many genuinely valid, worthwhile claims fall below the RIDDOR reporting threshold.
Want to know if your accident should have been reported?
A specialist solicitor can advise on your specific situation and how RIDDOR, or its absence, might support your claim.
Or call 01228 272395 to speak to Edward & Amaury Solicitors (SRA number: 800525). No upfront cost and nothing to pay if your claim does not succeed.