When and how to report to external agencies

RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013) applies only when your Scout premises are considered a place of work. There is an established timeframe for reporting. For fatal and specified injuries, RIDDOR reporting must be made immediately; and for over-7-day injuries, a report must be made within 15 days.

Your premises count as a place of work if: 

Employees are directly employed and managed by the premises owner 

• Example: A Scout Group that owns its hall and employs a cleaner, or a campsite that hires freelance instructors during peak season. 

Contractors are employed regularly by the premises owner 

• Example: A Scout campsite that utilises a contractor to clean the buildings on a weekly or monthly basis. 

Note: If you hire a one-off contractor for a specific job, they are responsible for reporting any incidents to the HSE themselves. In this case, your premises are not considered a place of work for RIDDOR purposes. 

You can find more information around RIDDOR reporting and volunteers here: https://www.hse.gov.uk/voluntary/employer/reporting-incidents-involving-volunteers.htm (opens new window)

What must be reported under RIDDOR? 

If your premises qualify as a place of work, you must report any work-related incidents that meet RIDDOR criteria, regardless of who is involved. These include: 

• Fatalities: Any work-related death. If someone dies within one year of a reportable work-related injury, it must be reported as a work-related fatality. 
• Specified injuries: Serious injuries such as fractures (except fingers, thumbs, toes), amputations, serious burns, loss of consciousness due to head injury or asphyxia, and others listed in RIDDOR. 
• Over-7-day injuries: Injuries causing a worker to be unable to perform normal duties for more than seven consecutive days (excluding the day of the accident). 
• Occupational diseases: Certain work-related illnesses diagnosed by a doctor. 
• Dangerous occurrences: Serious near-miss events listed in Schedule 2 of RIDDOR. 
• Non-workers taken to hospital: Non-fatal accidents involving members of the public or volunteers, where they are taken directly from the scene to hospital for treatment. 

How to report a RIDDOR incident 

• Online report form: https://www.hse.gov.uk/riddor (opens new window)
• Telephone (fatal and specified injuries only): +44 (0) 345 300 9923 
• Timescales: For fatal and specified injuries: Report immediately; and for over-7-day injuries: Report within 15 days. 

For craft other than pleasure craft, it is a legal requirement that you notify MAIB of any marine casualty or marine incident. This applies to all commercially operated vessels in UK waters and all UK-registered vessels worldwide. 

What must be reported to MAIB? 

• Marine casualties: Incidents involving death, serious injury, vessel loss, or significant damage 
• Marine incidents: Near misses and hazardous incidents, including close-quarters situations requiring urgent action, events that could have resulted in serious injury, fires without material damage, person overboard recovered without serious injury, or snagging of fishing gear resulting in dangerous heel. 

How to report to MAIB: 

• 24-hour reporting line: +44 (0) 23 8023 2527 
• Website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/report-a-marine-accident (opens new window)

It is a legal requirement to report certain accidents and incidents involving aircraft to the AAIB. This includes all aviation activities conducted by Scouts, including gliding, powered flight experiences, and similar activities. 

Who must report: The commander of the aircraft first, or if incapacitated, then the operator. If the accident occurs at an aerodrome, the aerodrome authority must also be notified. 

How to report to AAIB: 

• Telephone: +44 (0) 1252 510300 
• Website: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/report-an-aircraft-accident-or-serious-incident (opens new window)

The RYA requires that accidents and incidents be reported if they involve an RYA organised event, an RYA Recognised Training Centre, or an RYA Coded Small Commercial Vessel. 

When to report to RYA:

• Mandatory reporting: RYA organised events, RYA Recognised Training Centres, RYA Coded Small Commercial Vessels 
• Voluntary reporting: All sailing, powerboating, and water-based incidents 
• Incidents involving other water users 
• Near misses and hazardous situations 

How to report to the RYA: 

• Website: https://www.rya.org.uk/about-us/policies/accident-and-incident-reporting/
• Note: For pleasure vessels, there is no statutory requirement to report accidents to MAIB, but voluntary reporting is strongly encouraged 

Paddle UK operates a collaborative incident reporting system together with the British Stand Up Paddle Association and Surfing England for all paddle sport activities. 

What to report to PaddleUK:

• All paddling or surfing incidents, accidents, and near misses 
• Incidents with other water users 
• Access to water issues 
• Environmental concerns or pollution 

How to report to Paddle UK: 

• Use the online incident reporting form at paddleuk.org.uk/online-incident-reporting 

Reporting incidents to PADI regional offices as soon as reasonable possible after witnessing or being involved in a diving or dive operation-related accident or incident, whether in or out of the water, including training-related, recreational, technical, or apparently minor issues. 

What to report to PADI: 

• Results in an injury or a suspected injury; 
• Causes you to evaluate whether to, or to actually, provide medical care; 
• Occurs during recreational or technical scuba diving, freediving, mermaiding or snorkelling; 
• A dive operation-related, regardless of whether they occurred in or out of the water. 

How to report to PADI: 

Contact PADI requesting their incident report form at [email protected] 

Incidents and near misses that occur during Duke of Edinburgh's Award (DofE) activities need to be reported to DofE HQ. 

What to report to DofE:

• Any serious incident or accident that leads to or could have led to injury of a participant or staff. 
• Near misses during expeditions or other DofE activities. 
• Incidents occurring across all DofE sections (Volunteering, Physical, Skills, Expedition, Residential). 

How to report to DofE: 

Use the online incident reporting form at DofE.org/incidents