Major Overhaul of RIDDOR Reporting

The UK’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Proposes Major Changes: What Businesses Need to Know.

The UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has launched the most significant review of the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR) in more than a decade. The proposed reforms are intended to modernise the reporting framework, improve the quality of information received by the regulator and better reflect today’s workplace risks and occupational health challenges. If adopted, the changes could substantially affect how employers identify, record and report workplace incidents and diseases.

Why is RIDDOR being reviewed?

According to the HSE, the current reporting framework has not kept pace with changes in working practices, advances in occupational health knowledge and the emergence of new workplace risks. The regulator believes that ambiguities in the existing regulations have contributed to both under-reporting and over-reporting, reducing the usefulness of the data collected for enforcement and prevention activities.

The consultation therefore seeks to simplify reporting, clarify legal obligations and expand reporting in areas where occupational illness has historically been underrepresented.

The proposed changes

1. Clarification of key definitions

The HSE proposes to clarify several terms that have caused confusion, including:

• “Work-related”
• “Injury”
• “Routine work”

Although some clarifications would be made through guidance rather than legislative amendment, the aim is to improve consistency in determining whether an incident is reportable. This could reduce disputes over interpretation but may also alter how businesses assess borderline cases.

2. Significant expansion of reportable occupational diseases

Perhaps the most consequential proposal is to expand the list of reportable occupational diseases from six conditions to nineteen.

The proposed additions include:

• Asbestosis
• Pneumoconiosis (including silicosis)
• Chronic beryllium disease
• Occupational allergic rhinitis
• Occupational contact urticaria
• Bronchiolitis obliterans
• Noise-induced hearing loss

Several diseases that were previously removed from reporting requirements would be reinstated, while others reflect modern occupational exposures and evolving medical understanding. The changes represent a clear shift towards greater emphasis on occupational health rather than solely traumatic injuries.

3. Wider range of healthcare professionals able to trigger reporting

Currently, a reportable occupational disease generally requires diagnosis by a doctor registered with the General Medical Council.

Under the proposals, diagnoses made by other registered health practitioners—such as occupational health nurses and certain allied health professionals—could also trigger reporting obligations.

For employers, this means reportable diagnoses may arise earlier and from a broader range of clinical interactions, requiring robust internal systems to capture and assess occupational health information.

4. Updates to dangerous occurrence reporting

The HSE is proposing revisions to the list of dangerous occurrences, including introducing new reportable categories and modernising existing provisions.

Examples under consideration include:

• Falls of objects during demolition or construction activities.
• Overturning of construction plant.
• Broader reporting requirements for structural collapses, including roofs, ceilings, temporary works and trench collapses.

These amendments are intended to better reflect contemporary construction practices and capture high-potential near misses that may not currently be reportable.

5. Simplified online reporting process

Alongside legislative amendments, the HSE plans to redesign the online RIDDOR reporting forms to make them easier to use and reduce both under-reporting and unnecessary reports.

Improved guidance and clearer prompts are expected to help businesses submit more accurate and consistent information while reducing administrative burden.

How could this affect businesses?

If implemented, many organisations are likely to experience an increase in reportable events, particularly those operating in sectors where occupational illness is prevalent.

Industries that may be particularly affected include:

• Construction
• Manufacturing
• Mining and quarrying
• Oil and gas
• Waste and recycling
• Agriculture
• Healthcare
• Engineering
• Utilities

Businesses may need to review:

• Internal incident reporting procedures.
• Occupational health surveillance programmes.
• Health records management.
• Relationships with occupational health providers.
• Training for managers responsible for RIDDOR compliance.
• Investigation processes for newly reportable conditions and dangerous occurrences.

The proposals also reinforce the HSE’s growing emphasis on long-term occupational health risks—including dust exposure, respiratory disease and hearing loss—alongside traditional accident prevention.

When will the changes take effect?

At present, none of the proposed changes are in force.

The consultation opened on 7 April 2026 and is scheduled to close on 30 June 2026. After that, the HSE will analyse stakeholder feedback and decide whether to proceed with amendments.

Importantly, many of the proposals require legislative changes, meaning they cannot simply be introduced through revised guidance. Draft regulations would need to be developed and approved through the appropriate governmental processes before taking legal effect.

Several legal commentators have suggested that, even if adopted, substantive legislative amendments are unlikely to come into force before 2028.

Could the proposals change or be abandoned?

Yes.

The current exercise is a public consultation rather than a final policy decision. Following review of consultation responses, the HSE may:

• Implement all proposals.
• Modify specific proposals.
• Delay implementation.
• Decide not to proceed with certain changes.

Political priorities, stakeholder feedback, parliamentary scrutiny and practical implementation challenges could all influence the final outcome. There is therefore no guarantee that the consultation proposals will become law in their current form.

Preparing for the future

Although employers are not yet required to change their reporting practices, organisations would be well advised to review their current RIDDOR procedures and assess how the proposed reforms could affect compliance obligations.

Particular attention should be paid to occupational health surveillance, disease reporting pathways, contractor management and incident classification processes. Businesses that prepare early will be better positioned to adapt should the reforms be enacted.

Bottom line

The HSE’s consultation represents one of the most ambitious attempts to modernise RIDDOR since 2013. While the proposals remain subject to consultation and legislative approval, they signal a clear regulatory direction: greater emphasis on occupational disease, clearer reporting obligations and improved intelligence to support workplace safety enforcement.

For many organisations, especially those operating in higher-risk sectors, these reforms could significantly broaden reporting responsibilities and reinforce the importance of robust health surveillance and incident management systems.