Changes are coming to how work-related injuries, ill health and dangerous occurrences are reported

On 7 April 2026, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) announced a public consultation on The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 ( “RIDDOR”). The HSE consultation has been launched with a view to reflecting and updating upon the regulations that underpin how work-related injuries, ill health and dangerous occurrences are reported to the HSE as the national regulator for workplace health and safety.

Why are these changes happening?

The suggested changes are intended to:

• Streamline and simplify the reporting process
• Incorporate updates to the RIDDOR list of occupational diseases
• Clarify definitions in Regulation 2 of RIDDOR, as well as the associated guidance, where certain terms such as “work related”, injury, and “routine work” have been identified as unclear or ambiguous.

The HSE has acknowledged that ambiguous terminology present within the existing regulations has led to both under-reporting and over-reporting. A review in 2023 recommended that guidance be revised to ensure that responsible persons are armed with sufficient information to be able to make decisions themselves, in terms of what is reportable and what is not.

What these changes could mean for businesses

Greater clarity and efficiency

The proposed changes would be a welcome development. We are often asked for advice by employers who are uncertain as to when the requirement to report is triggered. There is, we find, a tendency towards submitting RIDDOR reports for many incidents which would objectively be considered as innocuous, possibly through fear of being criticised for failing to do so when guidance is less than clear.

This can lead to administrative burdens for both employers and the regulator alike, where resources are increasingly sparse on both sides of the fence. Clearer regulations could lead to a reduced amount of unnecessary reporting by businesses, freeing up time to focus on more business-critical matters.

Comprehensive technological considerations

The consultation also intends to revise RIDDOR and the accompanying legislation to better reflect the modern workplace, such as advancements in technology and workplace trends since RIDDOR was first introduced. We may well see consideration being given to working conditions that take account of the “gig economy”, or indeed guidance produced in respect of home and hybrid working.

Changes to the reporting of occupational diseases

In addition, the HSE proposes updating the list of reportable occupational diseases to ensure that serious cases of work-related ill health are properly captured. It is proposed that a number of conditions which were included in previous versions of the guidance, but subsequently removed, are reintroduced. These include silicosis, decompression illness linked to tunnelling and diving, and significant hearing loss. Further, in order to reflect the changing profile of the occupational health profession, it is proposed that reportable occupational diseases need no longer be diagnosed, in every case, by a GMC registered doctor.

How we can help

It is, as ever, reassuring to see the HSE embrace its stated aims in putting employers and the wider public at the heart of developing Health and Safety Law and practice.

Anderson Strathern have taken the opportunity to respond to the consultation, open until 30 June 2026, which can be accessed here. For a discussion in relation to any queries arising from the consultation, or in relation to any health and safety queries generally, please do not hesitate to contact Julia McDonald or Calum Sweeney.