New RIDDOR requirements planned to be introduced for October 2013

From 1st October 2013, subject to parliamentary approval, changes will be introduced to the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) that will simplify the mandatory reporting of workplace injuries for businesses. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) are proposing these changes and assert that it will still ensure “that the data collected gives an accurate and useful picture of workplace incidents”.

The main changes to RIDDOR are to simplify the reporting requirements in the following areas:

• The classification of ‘major injuries’ to workers is being replaced with a shorter list of ‘specified injuries’.
• The existing schedule detailing 47 types of industrial disease is being replaced with eight categories of reportable work-related illness.
• Fewer types of ‘dangerous occurrence’ will require reporting.

There are no significant changes to the reporting requirements for:

• Fatal accidents.
• Accidents to non-workers (members of the public).
• Accidents which result in the incapacitation of a worker for more than seven days.

 

RIDDOR guidance – tell the HSE what you think – by 20th September

To coincide with the changes to RIDDOR, the HSE is launching simpler, web based guidance aimed at helping people understand how the changes might affect them and what they need to do to comply with the law.  You have an opportunity to let the HSE know what you think of the draft guidance.

Visit the RIDDOR guidance review web community page:

http://webcommunities.hse.gov.uk/connect.ti/RIDDORwebreview/view?objectId=33811 to answer a small number of questions and share your views on the new guidance.