Incidents & Accidents · Mandatory · Construction

RIDDOR F2508 Report to HSE

The formal notification to the HSE of a reportable injury, disease, dangerous occurrence, or death under RIDDOR 2013. Fatal and specified injuries must be reported by phone immediately; over-7-day injuries within 15 days.

Last reviewed: 29 March 2026 — This guide reflects UK law as of this date. RIDDOR 2013 remains current with no amendments enacted as of 29 March 2026. Next scheduled review: 29 March 2027.

1. The RIDDOR Report — Meeting the Statutory Obligation

The RIDDOR report is the statutory notification to HSE that a significant workplace incident has occurred. It is a legal obligation — not a voluntary disclosure. Failure to report within the specified timescale is a criminal offence.

The report triggers HSE's investigation decision and provides national data informing construction safety policy. The online system at hse.gov.uk/riddor is straightforward but requires accurate information to be available at the time of submission.

Complete the internal report first, then use it to populate the RIDDOR online form

The RIDDOR form requires type of injury, part of body, type of work, and how the accident occurred. Having the internal report (G1) completed first means all information is available and accurate. Download and retain the RIDDOR confirmation as a statutory record.

2. RIDDOR Online Form — Key Information Required

Field	Content
Incident type	Select: fatal / specified injury / over-7-day / non-worker injury / disease / dangerous occurrence.
Date/time	Date and time of the incident.
Location	Site address. Local authority area.
Injured person	Name, age, sex, employer, occupation. Status: employee / self-employed / member of the public.
Injury description	Nature and type. Part of body. Specified injury category if applicable.
Work activity	What work was being carried out. Where the injured person was. Equipment involved.
How it happened	Brief factual description. What directly caused the injury.
Reportable disease	If occupational disease: diagnosis; work activity that caused it.
Responsible person	Details of person/employer making the report. Contact details for HSE follow-up.

3. Common Mistakes

Not knowing which RIDDOR category applies

Particularly common with specified injuries versus over-7-day injuries. A broken wrist is a specified injury (fracture excluding finger, thumb, or toe) and also potentially an over-7-day injury — it should be reported as a specified injury because the reporting deadline is shorter.

Late reporting of over-7-day injuries

This category has the longest window (15 days) but is the most commonly reported late. Often because the injury seems minor initially. The 15-day clock starts from the day of the accident, not from when the 7-day incapacity threshold is reached.

Not retaining a copy of the RIDDOR report

RIDDOR Reg 12 requires records to be kept for a minimum of 3 years. The confirmation email with reference number and summary must be downloaded and retained. The reference number alone is not sufficient — the full report content must be preserved.

Not notifying a fatality by telephone

For fatalities, calling HSE on 0345 300 9923 is best practice in addition to the online report. Immediate notification is what ‘without delay’ means in the context of a workplace death. The online form should also be completed as soon as practicable.

Under-reporting occupational diseases

RIDDOR requires reporting when a medical practitioner confirms the diagnosis. The trigger is medical confirmation, not the employer’s own assessment. Reportable diseases include occupational asthma, carpal tunnel syndrome, hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS), and occupational dermatitis.

4. Frequently Asked Questions

Is the HSE telephone line available 24/7?▾

No. The HSE ICC (0345 300 9923) is open Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm. It is only for fatal and specified major injuries. The online system is available 24/7. For fatal accidents outside office hours, the HSE general contact number can be used. Police (999) should always be contacted first for fatal or life-threatening incidents.

Can a contractor report on behalf of a subcontractor’s worker?▾

The reporting duty sits with the employer of the injured person. The principal contractor can facilitate the process but the subcontractor should make or confirm the report. For fatalities on a construction site, the principal contractor as site controller typically reports.

What if medical certification changes the RIDDOR category?▾

If absence extends beyond 7 days when initially expected to be shorter, the reporting obligation activates and the report must be made within 15 days of the accident date. If an injury is later confirmed as more serious (specified injury), it should be reported when confirmed.

Are self-employed injuries reportable?▾

Yes. RIDDOR applies to self-employed workers. They must report their own injuries within the standard RIDDOR categories. The principal contractor as site controller should facilitate the investigation and support the reporting process.

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