RIDDOR 2026: The Construction Briefing

Compliance Centre › RIDDOR 2026 Briefing

The Health and Safety Executive has launched a public consultation on reforming the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 — known as RIDDOR. It is the first significant overhaul in more than ten years, and the proposals point squarely at construction activity.

For contractors, the headline is a meaningful expansion in what must be logged with the regulator: more dangerous occurrences, a much longer list of reportable diseases, and a wider range of health professionals able to trigger a report. The consultation runs from 7 April to 30 June 2026, and the changes are proposals at this stage — not yet law.

Dangerous occurrences: a wider net on plant and ground risk

  • Tunnelling brought into scope — incidents on works involving tunnels over 1.2m in diameter set to become reportable.
  • Plant overturns — mandatory reporting proposed for overturning incidents involving excavators, mobile plant, drill rigs and piling rigs.
  • Falling objects widened — reporting extends beyond lifting operations to any unintentional drop from a structure under construction or demolition that could cause death.
  • Structural failures — collapses of roofs, ceilings, temporary works and trenches all set to trigger reporting.

Reportable diseases: from six to nineteen

The most consequential change for occupational health is a substantial expansion of the reportable-disease list. The 2013 regime cut the list to six conditions. HSE now proposes taking it to 19 conditions — reintroducing nine that were removed and adding several new ones, including asbestosis, silicosis (pneumoconiosis), decompression illness, noise-induced hearing loss, and occupational dermatitis and respiratory conditions.

For construction and demolition, the dust and respiratory conditions are especially relevant. The reintroduction of occupational dermatitis and added respiratory sensitisation also bring chemical handling into the frame, since skin and airway exposure to cleaning agents, solvents and degreasers is a recognised cause.

A wider diagnostic trigger

Currently, a RIDDOR-reportable disease must be diagnosed by a doctor registered with the General Medical Council. HSE proposes extending this to a broader pool of registered health practitioners. This also lowers the threshold at which a reporting duty arises — reports may be triggered more often, and from a wider range of clinical interactions.

“RIDDOR reporting is central to how we identify emerging risk, target regulatory activity and contribute to the evidence base for workplace health and safety.”
— Rachael Radway, Deputy Director of Regulation, HSE

Why getting it wrong is costly

RIDDOR sits under the Health and Safety at Work Act. Failing to report a reportable incident is an offence that can carry fines and, in the most serious cases, custodial sentences. A wider reporting net mechanically increases the number of situations in which a duty to report exists.

The timeline

  • 7 April 2026 — consultation opens.
  • 30 June 2026 — consultation closes; final date for duty holders to respond.
  • After close — HSE reviews responses before any amended regulations are laid. Exact in-force dates are not yet set.

What to do before 30 June

  • Review your RIDDOR procedures against the proposed dangerous-occurrence and disease triggers, and identify gaps.
  • Reassess dust, noise and chemical exposure controls — the disease expansion puts respiratory, hearing and dermatitis risks back under the microscope.
  • Check PPE and RPE match the substances and tasks in your COSHH assessments.
  • Confirm health-surveillance arrangements would stand up to closer reporting requirements.
  • Respond to the HSE consultation before it closes.

Where V-TUF fits

The disease and dermatitis proposals shine a light on chemical handling. Every V-TUF cleaning chemical ships with a full COSHH Safety Data Sheet — so the exposure controls behind your COSHH assessment are documented, not guessed. See how it connects in the COSHH & Cleaning Chemicals Guide.

Further reading — construction dust and COSHH compliance

Note: This page summarises proposed RIDDOR changes that were out for public consultation in 2026 and were not yet law at the time of writing. It is general information, not legal or safety advice.