(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations amend the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (the 1995 Regulations) and make consequential amendments to the Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977 and the Offshore Installations (Safety Representatives and Safety Committees) Regulations 1989.
The references to regulations which appear in parenthesis are to these Regulations rather than to the 1995 Regulations which they amend. In addition to minor drafting changes, the main changes to the 1995 Regulations are—
the period of incapacitation is increased from over three days, to over seven days before the occupational injury or accident which led to the incapacitation is required to be reported to the enforcing authority. The regulation also amends the period of time from ten days to fifteen days, before the responsible person is required to submit a report concerning an occupational injury, or accident which leads to over three days of incapacitation (regulation 2);
the responsible person is required to keep a record of an occupational injury, or accident which leads to over three days of incapacitation (regulation 3); however, the requirement is dispensed with, if the criteria in regulation 10 of the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 are satisfied (regulation 4) ;
Schedule 4 is amended to specify the particulars to be kept in any records of an occupational injury or accident which leads to over three days of incapacitation (regulation 5).
These Regulations make the following consequential amendments—
the Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977 is amended, to allow safety representatives to continue to inspect the part of the workplace where an occupational injury or accident occurred, which led to over three days of incapacitation (regulation 6);
the Offshore Installations (Safety Representatives and Safety Committees) Regulations 1989, is amended to allow safety representatives to continue to inspect offshore installations and equipment related to an occupational injury or accident which led to over three days of incapacitation (regulation 7).
Regulation 8 requires the Secretary of State to review the operation and effect of the 1995 Regulations and publish a report within five years after the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences (Amendment) Regulations 2012 come into force, and within every five years after that. Following a review, it will fall to the Secretary of State to consider whether the 1995 Regulations should remain as they are, or be revoked or be amended. A further instrument would be needed to revoke or amend the 1995 Regulations.