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What Does RIDDOR Stand For in Health and Social Care?

In health and social care, accidents, injuries and infections can happen even in the most well-managed environments. Understanding your legal duties under RIDDOR is essential for protecting staff, individuals receiving care, and maintaining compliance with UK law.


This post explains what RIDDOR stands for, how it applies to health and social care services, and what you need to do when an incident occurs.


Purple graphic featuring the Slanjava Learning Ltd logo and the text “What Does RIDDOR Stand For?” promoting a blog post about health and social care reporting requirements under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations.
Understanding your legal duties under RIDDOR is vital in health and social care. Discover what RIDDOR stands for and how it helps keep staff and individuals safe.

What Does RIDDOR Stand For?

RIDDOR stands for Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (Health and Safety Executive [HSE], 2024a).


It is the law that requires employers and those in control of work premises to report and keep records of:

  • Work-related accidents that cause death

  • Specified serious injuries

  • Diagnosed cases of certain occupational diseases

  • Dangerous occurrences with the potential to cause harm (HSE, 2013)


The current regulations, RIDDOR 2013, replaced previous versions to simplify reporting and make legal duties clearer for employers (HSE, 2013a).


Why RIDDOR Matters in Health and Social Care

RIDDOR reports alert enforcing authorities such as the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) or local councils to serious incidents. These reports help identify patterns, improve safety standards and prevent future harm (HSE, 2022).


When RIDDOR 2013 came into force, it simplified requirements by:

  • Replacing the list of “major injuries” with a shorter list of “specified injuries”

  • Reducing the 47 types of reportable diseases to eight categories

  • Narrowing the list of dangerous occurrences that must be reported (HSE, 2013)


Who Reports Under RIDDOR in Care Settings?

The responsible person is usually:

  • The employer of the injured employee (for example, the care provider or service manager)

  • The person in control of the premises (for example, care home owner or NHS trust)

  • In some cases, the self-employed worker themselves


When agency staff are supplied, both the agency and the host organisation should have clear agreements on who is responsible for submitting RIDDOR reports (HSE, 2022).


Failure to report a RIDDOR incident is a criminal offence, although making a report does not mean accepting liability.



What Must Be Reported in Health and Social Care?

To be reportable, an incident must arise out of or in connection with work. This means it must be linked to how care is delivered, the equipment used, or the work environment (HSE, 2022).


Below are examples of reportable events in care services:

Category

Examples in Health & Social Care

Deaths

The death of any person resulting from a work-related accident, such as a service user fatally injured during a hoist transfer.

Specified Injuries

Fractures (excluding fingers and toes), amputations, loss of sight, crush injuries, serious burns, scalp injuries, or unconsciousness caused by head injury or asphyxia.

Over-7-Day Injuries

A support worker injured while assisting with mobility who cannot perform normal duties for more than seven consecutive days.

Injuries to Non-workers

A service user scalded by hot bath water due to a faulty thermostat, or a visitor injured by a closing fire door.

Occupational Diseases

Conditions such as occupational dermatitis from cleaning agents, asthma linked to exposure to chemicals, or tendonitis from repetitive handling tasks.

Infections / Biological Agents

Hepatitis B or C following a sharps injury, or tuberculosis contracted after caring for an infectious patient.

Dangerous Occurrences

Failure or collapse of a patient hoist, major chemical spillage, or the accidental release of a biological agent.

Gas Incidents

Gas leaks or faulty boilers in residential care settings leading to illness or evacuation.

Acts of deliberate self-harm or clinical treatment errors are not reportable under RIDDOR, but they may still fall under broader health and safety or safeguarding investigations (HSE, 2022).


Sharps Injuries and Infections

A sharps injury must be reported when:

  • The sharp is known to be contaminated with a blood-borne virus (BBV) such as hepatitis B, C, or HIV, or

  • A worker later develops an infection as a result of the injury.


Example: A care assistant suffers a needlestick injury from a syringe known to contain hepatitis B-positive blood. This is reportable as a dangerous occurrence.If that worker later becomes infected, the case is reportable as an occupational disease (HSE, 2022).


How confident are you that your organisation is fully compliant with RIDDOR reporting requirements?

  • Very confident – we have clear reporting processes

  • Somewhat confident – but not sure what must be reported

  • Not confident – we need more training or clarity

  • What is RIDDOR?


Falls and Service User Injuries

Not every fall involving a service user is RIDDOR reportable.It is reportable only if the accident arose from the work environment, equipment, or supervision (HSE, 2022).


Reportable:

  • A service user falls from a hoist because the wrong sling was used.

  • A patient falls from a stretcher due to poor handling technique or inadequate training.

  • A service user falls and fractures a hip because the care plan identified bedrails were needed but they were not in place.


Not reportable:

  • A service user falls where all assessed precautions were in place and no equipment or environmental factor contributed.


When and How to Report

The HSE specifies strict time limits:

  • Immediately: Deaths, specified injuries, or dangerous occurrences

  • Within 10 days: All other reportable incidents

  • Within 15 days: Over-7-day injuries


Reports can be submitted via the HSE online system or by contacting the Incident Contact Centre. All records must be retained for at least three years, including details of the incident, the people involved, and any remedial actions taken (HSE, 2024b).


Promoting Compliance in Care Settings

To stay compliant and maintain a culture of safety:

  • Train staff to recognise when incidents meet RIDDOR criteria

  • Establish clear reporting pathways within your organisation

  • Keep accurate accident books and investigation records

  • Review care plans and risk assessments following any serious incident

  • Share learning outcomes during supervision and team meetings


RIDDOR data can highlight recurring hazards and help improve safety across your service.


Common Misunderstandings in Care Environments

Myth

Reality

“All falls must be reported under RIDDOR.”

Only if environmental, organisational, or equipment factors contributed.

“RIDDOR only covers staff injuries.”

It also covers individuals receiving care, visitors, and others affected by work activities.

“Stress is reportable if a GP says it is work-related.”

Stress is not a reportable condition under RIDDOR (HSE, 2022).

“If no one was hurt, there is nothing to report.”

Serious near misses, such as the collapse of a hoist, must still be reported.

Conclusion

So, what does RIDDOR stand for in health and social care? It stands for Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations, a legal framework designed to ensure that serious workplace incidents are reported, investigated and used to strengthen safety in care environments.


If you are a care provider or manager, make sure you:

  • Identify your organisation’s responsible person

  • Train staff to recognise reportable incidents

  • Keep detailed records and review risk assessments

  • Use findings to improve safety and wellbeing for staff and individuals alike


Looking to strengthen your team’s understanding of health and safety reporting?Slanjava Learning Ltd delivers accredited Health and Social Care training across the UK, including courses on incident reporting, infection control, and health and safety awareness.



Kind regards,

Slanjava Learning Ltd | Helping others to help others

-slàinte mhath-


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