The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is shaking up incident reporting in the construction industry with a comprehensive review of the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR). This move signals a significant shift for contractors, who will face a broader and more stringent set of reporting requirements. The core of this reform is a tightening of dangerous occurrence rules, particularly targeting construction activities, with a focus on tunnelling and falling objects. Incidentally, the rules for reporting falling objects will be expanded to include any unintentional drop from structures under construction or demolition, which could potentially cause death, thereby increasing reporting across everyday site operations. Plant safety is another area of focus, with HSE introducing mandatory dangerous occurrence reporting for overturning incidents involving excavators, mobile plant, drill rigs, and piling rigs, as site risks are scrutinized more closely. Structural failures are also under the spotlight, with collapses of roofs, ceilings, temporary works, and trenches triggering reporting requirements, thus tightening expectations around temporary works control and ground risk management. In addition to incident reporting, contractors face expanded occupational health reporting. HSE is proposing to reintroduce nine conditions from earlier rules, including asbestosis, silicosis, decompression illness linked to tunnelling and diving, and significant hearing loss, to the current list of six reportable diseases. This move aims to ensure a more comprehensive capture of health risks in the workplace. Alongside these legal changes, HSE is also streamlining the reporting process. They are simplifying the online system to address the persistent issue of under-reporting and over-reporting on busy construction sites. This simplification is intended to make the process more user-friendly and efficient. The HSE's deputy director of regulation, Rachael Radway, emphasizes the importance of RIDDOR reporting in identifying emerging risks, targeting regulatory activity, and contributing to the evidence base for workplace health and safety. She notes that the consultation process allows affected parties to provide input as the HSE seeks to improve standards and reduce the burden on businesses. The consultation, accessible at https://consultations.hse.gov.uk/hse/proposals-riddor-2013/, is open until June 30th, providing an opportunity for stakeholders to contribute to this significant reform.
