HSE announces injury reporting regulations consultation
A consultation plan has been agreed on by the Health and Safety
Executive (HSE) that will explore the available options in amending
the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences
Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR).
Changes to RIDDOR had been recommended by Lord Young in his
report on health and safety. He proposed that the period before an
injury or accident needs to be reported should be extended to seven
days.
As a result of this the HSE will be carrying out a three-month
consultation on the matter, beginning in January 2011. HSE
chairwoman, Judith Hackitt, said preparation work is currently
being carried out in order to ensure the consultation can begin on
schedule.
"Whilst there will be some obvious advantages in reducing the
reporting requirements on business, there will be other factors
which need to be taken into account," she said. "We hope that
interested parties will use the consultation exercise to provide
the range of perspectives we need to consider in order for us to
advise the Government appropriately."
The current regulations stipulate that when an employee has been
off work for just three days due to a work-related accident, the
employers must report the incident to either HSE or the local
authority. Raising the threshold would allow for sufficient medical
assessments to be carried out on the employee involved.
The consultation paper will be published on 17 January and
closed on 11 April. Recommendations will be submitted to the
Secretary of State by the end of May.