RIDDOR Injury Notification Letter: Free Template and What to Include

If you need to notify your employer they must report a workplace injury to the HSE under RIDDOR, a written letter is the recommended first step — it creates a clear record and shows you're pursuing the matter formally. Below is what a strong riddor injury notification should include.

What this letter needs to cover

• Describe the incident with date
• Location and outcome
• Identify the RIDDOR category that applies
• Request confirmation that the incident has been reported to the HSE within the statutory deadline
• Request a copy of the report

What RIDDOR actually requires

The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations require employers to report certain workplace injuries, diseases, and dangerous occurrences to the HSE — this includes deaths, specified serious injuries, and injuries causing more than 7 days off work. If your employer hasn't reported an incident that meets these criteria, they may be failing a legal duty.

What to include before you send it

• Confirmation of the injury or incident and why you believe it meets RIDDOR reporting criteria
• The date of the incident and any time off work that resulted
• A request for confirmation that the incident has been, or will be, reported to the HSE
• A note that failure to report is itself a breach of the Regulations

Why this matters even after the immediate incident

Proper RIDDOR reporting isn't just paperwork — it feeds into national safety data that identifies patterns and risks across industries, and it creates an official record that can matter significantly if you later need to make a personal injury claim relating to the same incident.

Frequently Asked Questions

What counts as a "specified injury" under RIDDOR?
This includes fractures (other than to fingers, thumbs, or toes), amputations, loss of sight, and several other serious categories — the full list is published by the HSE.

What if my employer refuses to report it?
Only your employer (the 'responsible person') can make the RIDDOR report, but if you think it hasn't been reported properly you can raise your concern with the HSE yourself.

[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Your Postcode]
[Your Phone Number]
[Your Email Address]
[Name of Recipient]
[Job Title, e.g. HR Manager / Operations Director]
[Company Name]
[Company Address]
[Company Postcode]
[Date]

Dear [Name],

Subject: Reportable injury (RIDDOR) – [Name of Injured Person], [Date]

I am writing about a work-related injury that I believe must be reported to the [Health and Safety Executive / Northern Ireland: Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland].

• Injured person: [Name]
• Date and time: [e.g. 15 October 2026 at 11:30am]
• Where: [e.g. the assembly line]
• What happened and the outcome: [e.g. a fall from a step ladder causing a broken wrist]

I believe it falls under this RIDDOR category: [choose: a specified injury (e.g. a fracture other than to fingers, thumbs or toes) / an injury causing more than 7 consecutive days off work / a dangerous occurrence / an occupational disease].

Under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 [Northern Ireland: the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997], employers must report this kind of incident within the time limit.

Please confirm that it has been reported within the deadline, and send me a copy of the report. Please also confirm it is recorded in the accident book.

Yours sincerely,

[Your Signature]
[Your Printed Name]