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RIDDOR
The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013, often known by the acronym RIDDOR, is a 2013 statutory instrument of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It regulates the statutory obligation to report deaths, injuries, diseases and "dangerous occurrences", including near misses, that take place at work or in connection with work.[3][4]
One of the worst colliery explosions – the Oaks colliery disaster killed more than 300 people in 1866.[5]
The regulations require "responsible persons" to report deaths at work, major injuries caused by accidents at work, injuries to persons not at work that require hospital treatment, injuries arising from accidents in hospitals, and dangerous occurrences (reg.3(1)). Additionally, the law requires registered gas fitters to report poor and dangerous gas installations (reg.6).
Responsible persons are generally employers but also include various managers and occupiers of premises (reg.2). Though the regulations do not impose a specific obligation on employees, they have a general obligation under section 7 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 to take care of safety. The Health and Safety Executive recommends that they report incidents to their employer and encourages voluntary notification to the relevant regulating authority.[3]
There are specific regulations as to mines and quarries (reg.8/ Sch.5), and offshore installations (reg.9/ Sch.6).
Medical treatments are exempt, as are injuries arising from road traffic accidents[6] and to members of the armed forces (reg.10).
Breach of the regulations is a crime, punishable on summary conviction with a fine of up to £400. If convicted on indictment in the Crown Court, an offender can be sentenced to an unlimited fine.[7] Either an individual or a corporation can be punished[8] and sentencing practice is published by the Sentencing Guidelines Council.[9] For example, in 2000, Salford City Council were fined £115,000 for a breach of the regulations.[10]
It is a defence that the responsible person was not aware of the event requiring reporting or notification and that he had taken all reasonable steps to have such events brought to his notice (reg.11). The burden of proof of such a defence is on the defendant, on the balance of probabilities.[11]
Wellingborough (/ˈwɛlɪŋbərə/ WEL-ing-bər-ə) is a large market town in the Wellingborough district of Northamptonshire, England, 11 miles (18 km) from Northampton on the north side of the River Nene.[3][4]
Originally named "Wendelingburgh" (the stronghold of Wændel's people),[5] the Anglo-Saxon settlement is mentioned in the Domesday Book as "Wendelburie". The town was granted a royal market charter in 1201 by King John.[6]
At the 2011 census, the town had a population of 49,128.[1] The Borough Council of Wellingborough has its offices in the town centre.[7] The town is twinned with Niort in France, and with Wittlich in Germany.
The town is predicted to grow by 30 per cent under the Milton Keynes South Midlands (MKSM) study, and the government has identified Wellingborough as one of several towns in Northamptonshire where growth in jobs and housing will be directed.[8] The area will see an addition of around 10,000 homes by 2031, mainly to the east of the town.[9] Wellingborough, along with Corby and Kettering together comprise the core of the North Northamptonshire growth area, coordinated by the North Northamptonshire Joint Planning and Delivery.[10] The town also has a growing commuter population as it is on the Midland Main Line railway, operated by East Midlands Railway, with trains to London St Pancras International taking under an hour, and an interchange with Eurostar services.[11]
