How and When to Report Health and Safety Risks?

Keeping people safe isn’t just a good practice—it’s also about the law. UK employers, managers and employees have clear duties to spot hazards early, fix them fast and report serious incidents correctly.

Health and safety risks refer to any potential hazards or situations in the workplace that can cause harm, injury, illness, or danger to people. These risks can be physical, such as unsafe machinery, slippery floors, or falling objects; chemical, like exposure to harmful substances; or biological, such as bacteria and viruses. 

They can also include ergonomic risks from poor workstation design or psychosocial risks like stress. Identifying and assessing these risks is essential to prevent accidents and maintain a safe working environment, in line with the UK’s Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and related regulations.

Managing health and safety risks is vital to protect employees, visitors, and the public from harm. It prevents accidents, injuries, and illnesses, reducing workplace disruption and associated costs. 

Effective risk management also ensures compliance with UK laws, such as the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, avoiding legal penalties. Beyond legal and financial reasons, prioritising health and safety builds trust, boosts morale, and promotes a positive workplace culture. 

By identifying and addressing risks early, businesses create a safer, more productive environment where people feel valued, secure, and motivated to perform at their best.

This guide explains what to report, when to report it, and how to build an easy, confidence-boosting reporting culture at work.

Why does reporting health and safety risks matter?

•  Prevention: Early reporting of hazards and near misses helps you fix problems before someone gets hurt.
•  Compliance: Accurate reporting meets legal duties under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HSWA) and related regulations.
•  Learning: Incident data lets you adjust training, equipment and procedures to reduce risk over time.
•  Trust: A simple, blame-free system encourages people to speak up.

 

The legal framework

•  HSWA 1974 sets the overall duty to protect employees and others from harm, and for employees to take reasonable care and cooperate on safety. (Reference: HSELegislation.gov.uk)
•  Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require you to assess risks and implement controls—this is the bedrock of prevention. (Reference: HSELegislation.gov.uk)
•  RIDDOR 2013 (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations) tells you which incidents must be reported to the HSE (or the relevant enforcing authority) and by when.

 

What should be reported internally (within your organisation)?

Encourage staff to report any of the following immediately to a supervisor, H&S lead or via your reporting app/form:

1. Hazards (e.g., loose cables, unguarded machinery, chemical storage issues).
2. Near misses (an incident that could have caused harm but didn’t).
3. Unsafe acts/conditions (missing PPE, blocked fire exits).
4. All accidents and injuries, no matter how minor—small events often reveal bigger risks.

While not all of these are reportable to HSE, all of them should be captured internally so you can investigate and prevent recurrence—this aligns with your risk assessment duties.

What must be reported to HSE under RIDDOR?

RIDDOR covers specific, more serious events. In broad terms, you must report:

•  Deaths and specified injuries (e.g., fractures—excluding fingers/toes, amputations, loss of sight).
•  Over-seven-day injuries (the injured person cannot do their normal work for more than 7 consecutive days).
•  Occupational diseases (diagnosed conditions linked to work, e.g., certain musculoskeletal disorders, dermatitis, occupational asthma).
•  Dangerous occurrences (serious “near-miss” events listed in RIDDOR, such as collapse of lifting equipment, certain electrical incidents, or pressure system failures).
•  Exposure to carcinogens, mutagens or biological agents (as set out in RIDDOR).

Remember, If you’re unsure whether something counts as a dangerous occurrence, you must check the HSE’s plain-English guidance that maps items to Schedule 2 of RIDDOR.

 

RIDDOR reporting deadlines (know these cold)

•  Deaths & specified injuries: report without delay (normally within 10 days).
•  Over-seven-day injuries: within 15 days of the accident (not 15 days after the seventh day).
•  Occupational diseases: as soon as a qualifying diagnosis is received.
• Dangerous occurrences: report without delay (normally within 10 days).
•  Reports are made via the HSE’s online RIDDOR forms; keep a copy of submissions for your records.

Who is responsible for reporting?

•  Employers, the self-employed, and in some settings the person in control of premises (e.g., site controllers) are responsible for RIDDOR reporting.
•  Employers must also appoint a competent person to help meet health and safety duties—often an internal H&S lead or an external specialist.

How to build a simple, high-confidence reporting process?

1. Create easy channels: paper forms, QR codes, an intranet form or app.
2. Train everyone: short toolbox talks on what to report (hazards, near misses, accidents) and how RIDDOR works.
3. Make it blame-light: focus on learning, not punishment.
4. Investigate proportionately: use “what/why/so what/now what” to get to root causes.
5. Close the loop: share fixes and lessons learned.
6. Recordkeeping: log all incidents, your decisions on RIDDOR applicability, the control measures taken, and any RIDDOR references/submission receipts. This supports legal compliance and shows your risk assessments are living documents.

 

Practical examples (workplace scenarios)

• Warehouse injury: An operative suffers a wrist fracture when a pallet collapses. Reportable as a specified injury; report without delay (normally within 10 days).
• Office slip: An employee slips on a wet floor, sprains an ankle, and returns to normal duties after 3 days. Not RIDDOR-reportable, but record internally and review floor-cleaning/signage procedures.
• Over-seven-day absence: A technician strains their back and is off normal duties for 9 days. RIDDOR-reportable within 15 days of the accident.
• Near-miss with crane load: Load-bearing part fails but no injury occurs. Likely a dangerous occurrence—check the Schedule 2 list and report without delay.
• Dermatitis diagnosis: A lab worker receives a formal diagnosis of work-related dermatitis. Report as an occupational disease as soon as diagnosed, and review COSHH controls.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Waiting for “certainty.” If in doubt on RIDDOR, check the HSE pages and decide promptly—most deadlines are short.
• Confusing internal reporting with RIDDOR. You should record everything internally; only some events are reportable to HSE.
• Missing the 15-day clock for over-seven-day injuries; the countdown starts on the day of the accident, not day seven.
• Poor evidence trails. Keep investigation notes, risk assessment updates and RIDDOR receipts.

Step-by-step: from risk to resolution

1. Spot the risk: Any employee notices a hazard or incident.
2. Report internally immediately: Use your agreed channel (form/app/line manager).
3. Make safe now: Isolate equipment, cordon the area, provide first aid.
4. Triage RIDDOR relevance: Use a simple checklist against RIDDOR categories.
5. Submit RIDDOR (if applicable): Use HSE online form within the deadline; notify insurers if required.
6. Investigate & fix: Root cause, corrective actions, assign owners and dates.
7. Update risk assessment & training: Evidence your management of risk.
8. Communicate learning: Toolbox talks, safety alerts, noticeboards.

 

Frequently asked questions

1. Do near misses need to be reported to HSE?
   Usually no, unless they meet RIDDOR’s definition of a dangerous occurrence (serious near-miss types listed in Schedule 2). Still record and investigate near misses internally.
2. We’re a small business—do we still need written risk assessments?
   Yes, if you employ five or more people you must document them; even smaller firms must assess risks and control them.
3. Who makes the report?
   The employer, self-employed person, or person in control of the work premises, depending on the situation. Appoint a competent person to coordinate.
4. How does Clear path assist you as your HR Outsourcing Service Provider in effective Health and Safety report and Risk management?

While health and safety often sits with specialist H&S advisors, your HR outsourcing partner is pivotal in making reporting work day-to-day:

• Policy & procedure design: Draft clear, plain-English reporting policies that integrate RIDDOR steps and time limits.
• Training & onboarding: Build short, engaging learning for new starters and refreshers for managers, including how to spot hazards and triage incidents.
• Case handling & documentation: Operate the reporting inbox or case system, complete RIDDOR forms with your H&S competent person, and maintain compliant records.
• Data & insights: Track trends (locations, times, causes), produce board-level dashboards and recommend targeted fixes.
• Culture building: Support comms campaigns, reward positive reporting, and embed a just culture that encourages learning over blame.

When HR and H&S are coordinated, you meet legal duties and unlock continuous improvement.

Quick checklist you can refer

• People know what to report (hazards, near misses, all accidents).
• There’s a simple channel (form/app/QR/poster) and it’s visible.
• Managers know RIDDOR triggers and deadlines.
• A competent person coordinates investigations and submissions.
• Every incident leads to actions and risk-assessment updates.
• You keep records (internal log, RIDDOR receipts, training, evidence).
• Lessons learned are shared via toolbox talks or safety alerts.

 

To Conclude

Always remember that Reporting isn’t paperwork for its own sake; it’s a lifesaving feedback loop. Define the channels, train your people, act on what you learn—and know your RIDDOR triggers and deadlines. When in doubt, check the HSE guidance and report promptly.

 

Talk to the experts: ClearPath as your one stop Solution

Strengthen your reporting culture and stay compliant without the admin headache. At Clearpath we help our Clients to:

• Design and implement end-to-end reporting process (policy, forms, workflows).
• Train managers and teams on RIDDOR and incident triage.
• Operate a confidential reporting desk and maintain compliant records.
• Turn incident data into clear insights and targeted improvements.

Book a free 30-minute consultation to review your current process and get a practical improvement plan.

Email: sales@clearpathuk.co.uk| Phone: 020 377 30992

Note: This article is for general guidance in the UK. Always check the latest HSE pages for updates and industry-specific requirements.