Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR) meaning

RIDDOR 1995 describes the rules that required employers, the self‑employed and those in control of work premises in Great Britain to notify the regulator (HSE or the local authority) of specified work‑related injuries, occupational diseases and dangerous occurrences (serious “near misses”), and to keep records. It is the shorthand for the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995, a statutory instrument later replaced in Great Britain by the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013. The term is commonly encountered in historic matters, legacy policies and contracts, and when assessing reporting duties and potential criminal liability for non‑compliance. Key legal features included: prescribed categories of “reportable” events; duties on the “responsible person”; notification within set time limits; and retention of accident‑book and RIDDOR records for inspection and disclosure in investigations and civil claims. Jurisdictional note: a parallel statutory regime applies in Northern Ireland under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997, enforced by HSENI. The Republic of Ireland operates a separate reporting system under Safety, Health and Welfare at Work legislation (reported to the HSA), and the term “RIDDOR” is not used there.