RIDDOR 2013 stands for the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013. These regulations place a legal duty on employers, the self-employed (where their own work activity causes an injury to themselves or others), and persons in control of work premises to report certain work-related accidents, occupational diseases, and dangerous occurrences (near misses) to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) or the relevant enforcing authority. RIDDOR replaced earlier reporting regulations and updated the list of specified injuries and dangerous occurrences. The purpose is to enable the HSE to identify trends, target inspection activity, and improve workplace safety.

Does an electric shock have to be reported under RIDDOR?

Yes, if the electric shock results in a specified injury. RIDDOR Schedule 1 lists specified injuries, which include: unconsciousness caused by asphyxia or by exposure to harmful substance or biological agent. Unconsciousness from electric shock falls within this category and must be reported without delay. Any electric shock that results in hospitalisation, loss of consciousness, or incapacity for more than seven days must also be reported. If a worker receives a shock but recovers immediately with no loss of consciousness and no absence from work exceeding seven days, it may not be RIDDOR reportable — but it should still be recorded in the accident book and investigated.

What electrical dangerous occurrences must be reported under RIDDOR?

RIDDOR 2013 Schedule 2 specifies dangerous occurrences that must be reported even if no injury occurs. For electrical work, the key dangerous occurrences are: (1) Electrical short circuit or overload accompanied by fire or explosion which results in the stoppage of the plant involved for more than 24 hours or which has the potential to cause the death of any person. (2) An explosion or fire caused by the ignition of material, where the fire or explosion results in the stoppage of plant for more than 24 hours or has the potential to cause death. These cover scenarios such as an arc flash in a switchboard that stops a process, or an electrical fire in a plant room.

How do I report a RIDDOR incident as a self-employed electrician?

As a self-employed electrician, you are required to report incidents under RIDDOR when your work activities cause a death or specified injury to yourself or any other person, or when a dangerous occurrence arises from your work. Reports are made online at riddor.hse.gov.uk. For fatalities and specified injuries, you can also call 0345 300 9923. If you are working on a client's premises, the client (as the person in control of the premises) may also have reporting duties — but this does not remove your own obligations. Keep records of any RIDDOR reports you make for at least three years.

What should I include in an accident book entry?

The accident book entry (or equivalent written record) should include: the date and time of the accident, the full name of the injured person, their job title and employer, the location where the accident occurred, a description of what happened (including what the person was doing at the time), the nature of any injury sustained, any witnesses, the first aid treatment given, and the name of the person completing the record. For electrical accidents, also record whether the circuit was isolated at the time, what electrical system was involved (voltage, circuit type), and whether LOTO procedures were in place. This record is separate from the RIDDOR report but is required by law under the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1979.

What is the deadline for reporting a RIDDOR incident?

The deadline depends on the type of incident. Fatalities and specified injuries must be reported as soon as practicable (without delay). Over-seven-day incapacitation injuries must be reported within 15 days of the accident. Dangerous occurrences must be reported without delay. Occupational diseases (such as occupational dermatitis from chemical exposure) must be reported when a written diagnosis is received from a doctor. For electrical accidents, fatalities and serious injuries such as unconsciousness from electric shock must always be treated as urgent — report immediately.

Is a near miss reportable under RIDDOR?

Most near misses are not RIDDOR reportable unless they fall within the specific list of dangerous occurrences in Schedule 2. However, near miss reporting is strongly encouraged as a matter of good safety practice and is required under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 through the duty to establish and maintain a suitable safety management system. For electrical near misses — such as an isolation failure that was discovered before anyone was injured, or a live conductor exposed in a location where workers were present — internal reporting and investigation are essential. These incidents indicate systemic safety failures that, if unaddressed, will result in a RIDDOR-reportable accident.

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Electrical Accident Reporting UK: RIDDOR 2013 Guide

Complete UK guide to reporting electrical accidents under RIDDOR 2013. Covers what must be reported (fatalities, specified injuries, arc flash dangerous occurrences), how and when to report to the HSE, near miss reporting, accident investigation, and RIDDOR duties for self-employed electricians.

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14 min readUpdated 2026-06-10Andrew Moore, Founder of Elec-Mate

Written and reviewed by Andrew Moore, founder of Elec-Mate, against BS 7671:2018+A4:2026, IET Guidance Note 3 and the IET On-Site Guide.

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How do you report an electrical accident in the UK?

Electrical accidents are reported under RIDDOR 2013 to the HSE. Report online at riddor.hse.gov.uk, or call 0345 300 9923 for deaths and specified injuries. Fatalities, specified injuries (including unconsciousness from electric shock) and dangerous occurrences are reported without delay; over-seven-day injuries within 15 days.

The duty falls on the responsible person — usually the employer, the self-employed worker, or the person in control of the premises. Records of reportable incidents must be kept for at least three years.

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Key Takeaways

1RIDDOR 2013 (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013) places a legal duty on employers, the self-employed, and persons in control of premises to report certain work-related accidents, diseases, and dangerous occurrences to the HSE. Failure to report a RIDDOR-reportable incident is a criminal offence.
2For electrical work, the specific dangerous occurrences that must be reported under RIDDOR 2013 include: electrical short circuit or overload accompanied by fire or explosion resulting in stoppage of plant for more than 24 hours, explosion or fire caused by an electrical ignition, and unintended ignition of explosive materials.
3Over-seven-day injuries (where a worker is incapacitated for more than seven consecutive days following a work-related accident, not counting the day of the accident) must be reported within 15 days. Fatalities and specified injuries (including unconsciousness from electric shock) must be reported without delay.
4Near miss reporting is not required under RIDDOR for most incidents, but is strongly recommended internally as part of a positive safety culture. Near misses involving electrical isolation failures, accidental contact with live conductors, and LOTO failures are especially important to investigate — they are precursors to serious accidents.
5RIDDOR reports are submitted online via the HSE website at riddor.hse.gov.uk. Employers can also use the reporting service by telephone (0345 300 9923) for fatal and specified injuries. Records of all reportable incidents must be kept for a minimum of three years.

01 · Legal Compliance

RIDDOR 2013 — Overview and Legal Duties

The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR 2013) came into force on 1 October 2013, replacing earlier reporting regulations. They are made under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and are enforced by the HSE and local authorities.

Who has a duty to report — the duty rests primarily on the "responsible person": the employer (where the injured person is an employee), the self-employed person (for their own injuries and injuries to others arising from their work), and the person in control of the premises (where the injured person is not an employee of the responsible person, e.g., a member of the public or a contractor injured on a client's site).
Criminal offence — failure to report a RIDDOR-reportable incident is a criminal offence under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The HSE can prosecute, and convictions can result in fines. Beyond the legal obligation, failure to report denies the HSE data needed to identify industry hazards and target enforcement activity.
Record keeping — all RIDDOR-reportable incidents must be recorded and the records must be kept for three years. The record must include the date and method of reporting, the date, time, and place of the event, personal details of those involved, a brief description of the nature of the event.
Accident book — employers with 10 or more employees must keep an accident book (BI 510 or equivalent) under the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1979. The accident book is separate from RIDDOR reporting but complements it. All incidents should be entered in the accident book regardless of whether they are RIDDOR reportable.

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02 · Legal Compliance

What Must Be Reported Under RIDDOR 2013

RIDDOR 2013 specifies several categories of event that must be reported to the HSE. For electrical contractors, the most relevant categories are specified injuries and over-seven-day injuries to workers, and dangerous occurrences.

Fatalities — any work-related death must be reported without delay. This includes deaths resulting from electric shock, electrical burns, falls caused by electrical faults, and explosions caused by electrical ignition. Report immediately on the HSE website or by calling 0345 300 9923.
Specified injuries to workers — RIDDOR Schedule 1 lists specified injuries including: fractures (excluding fingers, thumbs, and toes); amputation; any injury leading to loss of sight; crush injuries causing internal organ damage; serious burns covering more than 10% of the body or causing damage to the eyes, lungs, or other organs; loss of consciousness caused by asphyxia or by exposure to harmful substance (including electric shock). All must be reported without delay.
Over-seven-day incapacitation injuries — injuries that result in the worker being incapacitated for more than seven consecutive days (not counting the day of the accident) must be reported within 15 days. Incapacitation means unable to carry out their normal range of work duties — it is not limited to complete absence from work.
Injuries to non-workers — injuries to members of the public, clients, or visitors that result in them being taken from the scene to a hospital for treatment must be reported. "Treatment" means actual medical treatment, not simply examination.

Typically reportable

Electric shock causing unconsciousness
Electrical burn requiring hospital treatment
Fracture (other than to fingers, thumbs or toes) from a fall off a ladder after a shock
Worker off normal duties for more than seven days
Arc flash that stops plant for over 24 hours
Member of the public taken to hospital for treatment

Usually not RIDDOR-reportable

Minor shock with full immediate recovery and no time off
Small burn treated by on-site first aid only
Absence of seven consecutive days or fewer
Member of the public examined but not treated
A near miss with no injury that is not a listed dangerous occurrence

Still record these in the accident book and investigate — they are early warnings.

03 · Legal Compliance

Electrical Dangerous Occurrences Under RIDDOR

RIDDOR Schedule 2 lists specific dangerous occurrences — events that are near misses or incidents with the potential to cause death or serious injury — that must be reported even if no injury occurs. Several are directly relevant to electrical work.

Electrical short circuit or overload with fire or explosion — Schedule 2 lists, as a dangerous occurrence, an electrical short circuit or overload accompanied by fire or explosion which results in the stoppage of the plant involved for more than 24 hours, or which has the potential to cause the death of any person. This is the dangerous occurrence electricians encounter most often.
Arc flash incidents — an arc flash event in a switchboard, motor control centre, or distribution panel that results in an explosion, fire, or stoppage of plant for more than 24 hours is a reportable dangerous occurrence. Arc flash incidents have the potential to cause death and are taken very seriously by the HSE.
Unintended ignition of explosives — where electrical ignition causes the unintended detonation or ignition of explosive materials, this is a RIDDOR dangerous occurrence regardless of whether anyone was injured.

When in doubt about whether an incident is RIDDOR reportable, report it. The HSE would rather receive an unnecessary report than not receive a required one. An unreported RIDDOR event discovered later during HSE investigation significantly aggravates any enforcement action.

04 · Legal Compliance

How to Report to the HSE

All RIDDOR reports for electrical contractors in Great Britain are made to the HSE. The HSE provides an online reporting service and a telephone service for urgent reports.

Online reporting — riddor.hse.gov.uk — the primary method for all RIDDOR reports. The online form requires: the nature of the event, details of the injured person or the dangerous occurrence, the location and date, a description of what happened, and your contact details. Save a copy of the completed report for your records.
Telephone — 0345 300 9923 — for fatalities and specified injuries, the HSE also operates a telephone reporting line. This is available during working hours. For out-of-hours reporting of fatalities, emergency services (999) will notify the relevant authority. Follow up with a formal RIDDOR report as soon as practicable.
What information to prepare — before reporting, gather: the date, time, and precise location of the incident; the full name and contact details of the injured person; their employer; a clear description of what happened and how; the nature and extent of any injuries; details of any witnesses; and details of any plant or equipment involved.
Preserve the scene — where possible, preserve the scene of a serious electrical accident until the HSE has been notified and had the opportunity to inspect. Do not move or remove equipment, tools, or materials that may be evidence unless necessary for ongoing safety or medical treatment. Photograph the scene before anything is disturbed.

05 · Legal Compliance

Reporting Deadlines

Missing RIDDOR reporting deadlines is itself an offence. The deadline depends on the type of incident — use the table below to identify the correct timescale at a glance, then read the notes for the practical detail electricians most often get wrong.

Incident type	Deadline	Initial method
Fatality	Without delay (same day)	Phone or online; follow up in writing
Specified injury	Without delay	Phone or online
Dangerous occurrence	Without delay	Online
Over-seven-day injury	Within 15 days of the accident	Online
Reportable occupational disease	Without delay on written diagnosis	Online

Without delay means as soon as practicable — for deaths and specified injuries this means the same day in practice. Where a specified injury requires hospitalisation, report while the person is still receiving treatment — do not wait until they are discharged.
The 15-day clock starts on the day of the accident — not the day on which seven days of incapacitation is reached. If an injury that first appeared minor results in absence exceeding seven days, report it as soon as that becomes apparent.
When in doubt, report — even if there is uncertainty about whether an event qualifies as a dangerous occurrence, err on the side of reporting. Doing so on time is far less serious than a late report uncovered during an HSE investigation.

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06 · Legal Compliance

Near Miss Reporting — Building a Safety Culture

Near misses (sometimes called "close calls") are events that had the potential to cause injury or damage but did not. In electrical work, near misses often precede serious accidents. Reporting and investigating them is one of the most effective ways to prevent future injuries.

Fatal accident

Serious injuries

300

Minor injuries

3,000

Near misses

The widely cited accident-ratio model (often attributed to Heinrich) illustrates the principle rather than precise statistics: serious injuries sit on a much larger base of minor injuries and near misses. Ratios vary by study and industry, but the lesson holds — reduce the near misses at the base and you reduce the serious accidents at the top.

Electrical near misses to report internally — safe isolation failures discovered before contact; live conductors found exposed in accessible locations; tools or equipment contacting live conductors without injury; incorrect isolation of the wrong circuit discovered before work began; lockout tagout breaches.
No blame culture — near miss reporting only works if workers can report without fear of punishment for honest mistakes. Establish a no-blame reporting culture where near misses are investigated constructively to identify systemic improvements, not to assign individual blame.
Heinrich's triangle — for every fatal accident, research suggests there are approximately 29 serious injuries, 300 minor injuries, and 3,000 near misses. Reducing near misses reduces serious accidents. Each near miss is a free lesson about what could go wrong.
RIDDOR-reportable near misses — some near misses are RIDDOR dangerous occurrences (see above). These must be formally reported to the HSE. Internal near miss reporting does not substitute for RIDDOR reporting where it is required.

07 · Legal Compliance

Accident Investigation

Following any significant electrical accident or near miss, an internal investigation should be carried out to understand what happened and why, and to implement measures to prevent recurrence. This is required by the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.

Immediate actions — make the site safe, follow the correct electrical rescue procedure and provide first aid, call emergency services if needed, preserve the scene, notify the HSE if RIDDOR reportable, and notify the employer and next of kin if a worker is seriously injured.
Investigation team — assign a competent person to lead the investigation. For serious accidents, this may include a senior manager, a health and safety advisor, and an elected employee representative. The investigation should be independent of those directly involved.
Root cause analysis — identify not just the immediate cause (e.g., worker touched a live conductor) but the underlying causes (e.g., safe isolation procedure was not followed; isolation procedure was not adequately communicated; supervision was insufficient). Use the "5 Whys" method to trace causes to their root.
Corrective actions — document and implement corrective actions with specific owners and deadlines. Review and update risk assessments and method statements. Brief all affected workers on the findings and actions. Record the investigation and actions taken.

08 · Legal Compliance

RIDDOR Duties for Self-Employed Electricians

Self-employed electricians have RIDDOR reporting duties that differ slightly from those of employers. Understanding your obligations as a sole trader or director of a small company is essential.

Injuries to yourself — if you are self-employed and suffer a specified injury or are incapacitated for more than seven days as a result of a work-related accident, you must report it yourself under RIDDOR. There is no employer to report on your behalf.
Injuries to others from your work — if your work activities cause a specified injury, over-seven-day injury, or death to another person (including a client, a member of the public, or a co-worker), you must report it under RIDDOR. The client (as person in control of the premises) may also have a reporting duty — but their duty does not remove yours.
Dangerous occurrences from your work — dangerous occurrences arising from your work activity must be reported regardless of whether you are employed or self-employed. An arc flash or electrical explosion resulting from your work must be reported to the HSE.

09 · Legal Compliance

For Electricians: RAMS and Accident Prevention

The best RIDDOR report is the one you never have to make. Comprehensive risk assessment and safe working procedures — including safe isolation, LOTO, and RAMS — are the most effective way to prevent reportable accidents.

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Use the Elec-Mate RAMS generator to create site-specific risk assessments and method statements for electrical work. Including safe isolation procedures, electrical hazard identification, PPE requirements, and emergency procedures — the documentation required by law and demonstrated to clients. Reduce accident risk and protect yourself legally if an incident does occur.

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Electrical Accident Reporting UK: RIDDOR 2013 Guide

How do you report an electrical accident in the UK?

Key Takeaways

RIDDOR 2013 — Overview and Legal Duties

Get the BS 7671 A4:2026 Cheat Sheet — free

What Must Be Reported Under RIDDOR 2013

Typically reportable

Usually not RIDDOR-reportable

Electrical Dangerous Occurrences Under RIDDOR

How to Report to the HSE

Reporting Deadlines

Try Elec-Mate free for 7 days

Near Miss Reporting — Building a Safety Culture

Accident Investigation

RIDDOR Duties for Self-Employed Electricians

For Electricians: RAMS and Accident Prevention

Generate Site RAMS to Prevent Reportable Accidents

Professional H&S documentation for UK electricians

Frequently Asked Questions About Electrical Accident Reporting

What is RIDDOR 2013?

Does an electric shock have to be reported under RIDDOR?

What electrical dangerous occurrences must be reported under RIDDOR?

How do I report a RIDDOR incident as a self-employed electrician?

What should I include in an accident book entry?

What is the deadline for reporting a RIDDOR incident?

Is a near miss reportable under RIDDOR?

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