No effect on liability insurance from relaxation of RIDDOR rules

Posted on February 08^th 2012

Many liability insurance customers will be pleased to hear that the reporting rules for RIDDOR will be streamlined soon.

RIDDOR stands for Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations and is the full name of an Act of Parliament brought in in 1996. The introduction of reliable and consistent reporting of accident and other hazards has been an important tool in indentifying hazards and legislating for greater safety in the workplace.

The reporting of an incident is sometimes thought to have an implication on being able to bring claims to bear in the future, perhaps against a negligent employer. But this has never been the case and the reporting of an event, or lack of it, has no bearing on liability insurance either.

The main change in reporting under RIDDOR legislation, which comes in on the 6th April 2012, is that reporting will only be required for events that lead to the incapacitation of workers(s) for more than seven days. The current requirement covers events of more than three days' incapacitation.

The deadline for reporting is also increased in line with this, to within 15 days of the accident. The change is designed to reduce the red tape on businesses and focus the efforts of the health and safety industry on the more serious accidents.

There is not expected to be any implication for liability insurance.

Related links

Link to HSE website including free PDF guide to new RIDDOR regulations

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