Reporting Dangerous Occurrences Under RIDDOR

Under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR), certain dangerous occurrences must be reported even if no injuries result. These incidents are crucial for maintaining safety standards and preventing future accidents.

Types of Reportable Dangerous Occurrences

Here are some key examples of dangerous occurrences that must be reported under RIDDOR:

1. Equipment Failures and Contact with Electric Lines

• Collapse or Overturning: The collapse, overturning, or failure of any load-bearing part of lifting equipment, excluding lifting accessories.
• Electrical Contact: Unintentional contact with an uninsulated overhead electric line with a voltage exceeding 200 volts, or close proximity causing an electrical discharge.

2. Explosions and Fires

• Electrical Explosions or Fires: Any explosion or fire resulting from an electrical short circuit or overload that either stops the plant for more than 24 hours or presents a significant risk of death.
• Explosions and Intentional Fires: Any explosion or fire causing injury requiring first-aid or medical treatment (excluding mines or quarries).

3. Scaffolding Issues

• Scaffold Collapse: Partial or complete collapses of scaffolding more than 5 metres in height, including falls or collapses that could risk drowning.
• Supporting Parts: Collapse of any supporting parts of slung or suspended scaffolds causing a working platform to fall, whether in use or not.

4. Demolition Failures

• Demolition Failures: Collapses or failures in the direction of fall of a structure during demolition operations.

5. Biological Agents

• Biological Agent Release: Any incident that results or could have resulted in the release or escape of a biological agent likely to cause severe human infection or illness.

These occurrences must be reported to ensure that proper measures are taken to prevent similar incidents in the future and to maintain a safe working environment.