RIDDOR Consultation 2026: What Changes Are Coming to Workplace Injury Reporting?
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has launched a major consultation on the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR), opening a critical window for UK businesses to shape the future of workplace safety reporting. If you're a health and safety consultant, manager, or business owner, here's what you need to know about the proposed RIDDOR changes.
Why Is RIDDOR Being Reviewed?
The move is aimed at improving clarity, modernising reporting requirements and reducing administrative burdens on businesses. The current RIDDOR framework, established in 2013, simply hasn't kept pace with modern working practices. Many organisations report confusion around terminology, leading to both underreporting and overreporting of incidents. The consultation, which opened on 7 April 2026 and closes on 30 June 2026, seeks to address these long-standing issues head-on.
Key Proposed Changes to RIDDOR
1. Clarifying Ambiguous Definitions
One of the biggest challenges with current RIDDOR reporting is interpretation. Terms such as "work-related", "injury" and "routine work" have been identified to be unclear or ambiguous. The HSE proposes clearer definitions in Regulation 2 and associated guidance to eliminate guesswork and improve consistency across sectors, particularly in high-risk areas like construction.
2. Expanding Who Can Diagnose Occupational Diseases
Currently, only doctors registered with the General Medical Council can formally diagnose reportable occupational diseases. The HSE proposes extending this to allow diagnoses by other registered health practitioners. This practical change acknowledges that occupational health nurses, physiotherapists, and other qualified professionals often identify work-related ill health first.
3. Updating Lists of Reportable Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences
The HSE wishes to revise the list of occupational diseases in Regulation 8 and the list of dangerous occurrences in Schedule 2. This modernisation will capture emerging workplace risks and hazards that weren't contemplated when RIDDOR was introduced.
4. Simplifying the Online Reporting Form
Non-legislative improvements include redesigning the RIDDOR reporting form for better usability. A clearer, more intuitive form should help reporters quickly determine whether an incident meets reporting criteria tackling both the overreporting and underreporting problem.
What This Means for Your Business
These changes represent a genuine attempt to balance worker protection with reducing unnecessary administrative burden. However, there's work to do now. While the consultation continues, maintain your current RIDDOR obligations. The existing regulations remain in force until any changes are formally implemented, which won't happen before 2027 at the earliest.
Action Steps for Now:
Review your procedures – Audit how you identify, investigate, and report incidents
Assess the impact – Consider which proposed changes affect your operations
Engage with the consultation – Submit your views highlighting practical challenges
Update training plans – Factor potential changes into your 2026-2027 schedule