This RIDDOR awareness course is designed for health and social care workers, managers and other people who support workplace health and safety. It explains how the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 apply to serious work-related incidents in Great Britain and why accurate reporting matters.
This free course covers reportable deaths, specified injuries, occupational diseases and dangerous occurrences. Learners will also explore reporting responsibilities, geographical differences across the UK, HSE reporting routes, legal timescales, required information and record-keeping arrangements.
Why Take This eLearning Course?
RIDDOR forms an important part of workplace health and safety management. Understanding the reporting criteria helps organisations respond appropriately, meet their legal responsibilities and avoid reporting events through the wrong process.
This course will help you to:
- Understand the purpose and scope of RIDDOR
- Recognise incidents that may require external reporting
- Distinguish reportable events from ordinary accidents and near misses
- Apply the correct rules to workers and people who are not at work
- Identify who holds the legal reporting responsibility
- Follow the correct HSE reporting route
- Work within the required reporting deadlines
- Collect accurate information before a report is submitted
- Maintain appropriate incident and reporting records
- Respond effectively when an event is not reportable
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Define RIDDOR and explain its role in workplace safety
- Identify the geographical scope of RIDDOR 2013
- Recognise reportable work-related fatalities
- List the main categories of specified worker injury
- Calculate when over-seven-day incapacitation applies
- Explain the reporting rules for non-workers
- Identify dangerous occurrences and occupational diseases
- Determine who should submit a RIDDOR report
- Describe the available reporting routes and timescales
- Explain the principal record-keeping and retention requirements
RIDDOR Awareness Course Course Outline
The course is divided into six modules covering the legal framework, reportable events, reporting responsibility, submission procedures and record management.
Module 1: Understanding RIDDOR and Its Scope
Learners will explore the full meaning and purpose of RIDDOR, the types of work-related events covered and the importance of reporting serious incidents to the relevant enforcing authority. The module explains how RIDDOR fits alongside wider health and safety arrangements, immediate emergency action, internal reporting and risk management. It also distinguishes the Great Britain framework from the separate legislation and reporting arrangements used in Northern Ireland.
Module 2: Reportable Deaths and Injuries
Learners will examine the circumstances in which a work-related death must be reported, including the need to establish a genuine connection with work activity. The module covers specified injuries such as fractures, amputations, serious burns, loss of sight, crush injuries and qualifying loss of consciousness. It also explains over-seven-day incapacitation, how consecutive days are counted and the different rules for residents, patients, visitors, pupils, volunteers and other people who are not at work.
Module 3: Dangerous Occurrences and Occupational Diseases
Learners will understand how legally defined dangerous occurrences differ from the wider term “near miss”. Examples involving lifting equipment, pressure systems, electrical incidents and biological agents are considered. The module also introduces reportable occupational diseases, including conditions affecting the upper limbs, skin and respiratory system, as well as vibration-related conditions, occupational cancers and infections. Particular attention is given to the need for a suitable diagnosis and evidence of a work-related exposure.
Module 4: Reporting Roles and Responsibilities
Learners will identify the responsible person in different workplace arrangements, including employers, self-employed people and those who control work premises. The module considers incidents involving agency workers, contractors, employees working away from their usual base and people who are not at work. It also explains how staff and injured people should share information internally, preserve relevant evidence and escalate uncertainty to an appropriate manager or competent health and safety adviser.
Module 5: Reporting Routes, Deadlines and Information
Learners will review the correct HSE online reporting routes for injuries, diseases, dangerous occurrences and other defined incidents. The limited circumstances in which telephone reporting is available are also explained. The module covers prompt notification, the ten-day reporting period for specified events, the 15-day deadline for over-seven-day injuries and the process for reporting diagnosed occupational diseases. Learners will also examine the factual information that should be collected before a report is submitted.
Module 6: Records and Non-Reportable Incidents
Learners will examine the records that organisations must retain, including event details, personal information, reporting evidence and reference numbers. The minimum three-year retention period, secure access arrangements and wider data-protection considerations are covered. The module also explains why minor injuries, work-unrelated accidents, precautionary hospital attendance and ordinary illnesses are not normally reportable. Learners will consider the internal investigation, safeguarding, risk assessment and follow-up actions that may still be required.
Target Audience
This course is suitable for:
- Health and social care workers
- Registered managers and service managers
- Team leaders and supervisors
- Health and safety leads
- Compliance, governance and human resources staff
- People responsible for recording or reviewing workplace incidents
No previous specialist knowledge is required.
FAQ
Who is this course suitable for?
The course is suitable for health and social care workers, managers, supervisors and other staff who need to understand how serious work-related incidents should be assessed and reported.
Do I need any previous experience?
No previous experience of RIDDOR reporting is required. The course introduces the key terms, responsibilities and reporting thresholds in a clear and structured way.
What will I learn on this RIDDOR course?
You will learn how to recognise potentially reportable deaths, injuries, diseases and dangerous occurrences. You will also understand reporting responsibilities, deadlines, submission routes and record-keeping requirements.
Will this course help with day-to-day practice?
Yes. The course will help you record incidents accurately, pass information to the correct person and recognise when further advice or escalation may be needed.
Does the course cover practical reporting skills?
The course explains how to gather relevant information, choose the correct reporting route and write a factual incident description without including assumptions or unconfirmed conclusions.
Does it cover relevant legal responsibilities and good practice?
Yes. It explains the legal duties created by RIDDOR and shows how external reporting fits alongside first aid, safeguarding, internal investigation, risk assessment and wider workplace safety arrangements.
Does RIDDOR apply throughout the UK?
RIDDOR 2013 applies in England, Scotland and Wales. Northern Ireland has separate legislation, thresholds and reporting arrangements, which are introduced during the course.
How long does the course take?
The course is self-paced and usually takes around 1 hour to complete.
Will I receive a certificate?
Yes. A certificate is issued after successful completion.
This course provides a practical introduction to RIDDOR for people working in health and social care environments. It supports informed decision-making, accurate internal reporting and a clearer understanding of when an incident may require notification to an enforcing authority.
Enrol now to build your understanding of RIDDOR awareness and reporting.
