SSSTS RIDDOR Accident Reporting 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What information must be included in a RIDDOR accident report?
- Date, time and place of incident; name and occupation of person injured; brief description of what happened; nature of injury or dangerous occurrence (Correct answer)
- Only the name of the injured person and date
- Only the type of injury suffered
- Only required if a written report is specifically requested by the HSE
Correct answer: Date, time and place of incident; name and occupation of person injured; brief description of what happened; nature of injury or dangerous occurrence
A RIDDOR report must include: date, time and location of the incident; the personal details of the injured person; their occupation and type of work; a description of what happened; and the nature of the injury or dangerous occurrence.
Question 2: What is the purpose of investigating an accident following a RIDDOR report?
- To identify root causes and contributing factors in order to implement control measures that prevent recurrence (Correct answer)
- Only to complete the RIDDOR form for the HSE
- To apportion blame and take disciplinary action
- To satisfy insurance requirements only
Correct answer: To identify root causes and contributing factors in order to implement control measures that prevent recurrence
Accident investigation aims to understand the root causes (not just immediate causes) of an accident so that effective control measures can be implemented to prevent it happening again. Blame attribution is secondary to prevention.
Question 3: What is a 'specified injury' for a member of the public under RIDDOR 2013?
- An injury to a non-worker caused by a work-related accident that requires them to be taken to hospital for treatment (Correct answer)
- Any injury to a non-worker regardless of severity
- Only fatal injuries to members of the public
- An injury to a non-worker that results in permanent disability
Correct answer: An injury to a non-worker caused by a work-related accident that requires them to be taken to hospital for treatment
For non-workers (members of the public, visitors, etc.), RIDDOR requires reporting when they are injured as a result of a work-related accident AND taken from the scene to a hospital for treatment. This reflects a different threshold from the specified injury categories for workers.
Question 4: What must a supervisor do when they first become aware that a worker has been diagnosed with a RIDDOR-reportable occupational disease?
- Report it to management immediately so that a RIDDOR report can be made to the HSE and an investigation into workplace exposure can be conducted (Correct answer)
- Continue normal monitoring and record it in the next monthly safety report
- Only document it in the site diary
- Refer the worker to occupational health without informing management
Correct answer: Report it to management immediately so that a RIDDOR report can be made to the HSE and an investigation into workplace exposure can be conducted
When a RIDDOR-reportable occupational disease is diagnosed, the supervisor must notify management promptly. A RIDDOR report must be made to the HSE and the workplace exposure that caused the disease must be investigated to prevent further cases.
Question 5: What is a 'dangerous occurrence' involving a crane on a construction site that must be reported under RIDDOR?
- The collapse, overturning or failure of any load-bearing part of a crane (Correct answer)
- Any unplanned movement of a crane
- A crane operating at the limits of its radius
- Any repair work carried out on a crane
Correct answer: The collapse, overturning or failure of any load-bearing part of a crane
Under RIDDOR 2013 Schedule 2, the collapse, overturning or failure of a load-bearing part of a crane (or other lifting equipment) is a dangerous occurrence that must be reported to the HSE, even if no injury results.
Question 6: What is the HSE's RIDDOR online reporting portal known as?
- The RIDDOR online portal at riddor.hse.gov.uk (Correct answer)
- HMRC gateway
- CITB training portal
- Companies House filing portal
Correct answer: The RIDDOR online portal at riddor.hse.gov.uk
RIDDOR reports are submitted via the HSE's dedicated online reporting system at riddor.hse.gov.uk. This portal guides reporters through the relevant form for the type of incident and provides immediate confirmation of submission.
SSSTS RIDDOR Accident Reporting 3
What information must be included in a RIDDOR accident report?