The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases, and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (commonly referred to as RIDDOR) requires an employer, and the self employed, to notify work related accidents, diseases and dangerous occurrences. Notification should be made to the Incident Contact Centre by telephone on free phone 0845 300 9924. www.riddor.gov.uk

Question
What are these accidents, diseases, and dangerous occurrences?

Answer
There are many injuries and illnesses etc which must be reported and the following, while not exhaustive, will give examples from the retail trade of incidents which would be reported: -

• Death, major injury (amputation, broken limbs, dislocations)
• Injury which results in absence from work for three days or more
• Back and limb injuries due to lifting, contact with moving equipment etc
• Diseases of the lung or skin resulting from exposure at work
• Infections such as Hepatitis resulting from work related exposure
• Dangerous Occurrences such as the accidental release of dangerous substances, or Near Misses, which would have other than by good fortune, required reporting.
• An accident to a non-employee (e.g. a customer) if they are killed or taken to hospital.

Reporting an Accident

In the event of death or major injury telephone in the first instance to: - Health & Safety Enforcement Team, City Development, Nottingham City Council.

Telephone Nottingham 915 6756 at the earliest opportunity following the incident. However, details must then be provided to the Incident Contact Centre (see above).

An Accident Book, although not required under Health and Safety legislation, (they are a requirement of Social Security legislation) can be a suitable method of discharging the duty to the employer to record any use of the First Aid provision and of recording their reporting action under RIDDOR.

A new edition of the Accident Book (No B1 510) was issued in May 2003. To comply with the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA) personal details entered in accident books must be kept confidential. The new Accident Book has been redesigned so that individual record sheets can be removed and stored securely. This will help you to keep personal information in confidence.

An Accident Book known as a Form BI 510 can be bought from most good bookshops.