The Health and Safety Executive plans a major overhaul of workplace incident reporting with sweeping changes to how site risks, plant incidents and occupational diseases must be reported.

The review of the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 signals a step-change for contractors, who face a significant expansion in what must be logged with the regulator.

At the heart of the planned reform to RIDDOR reporting is a major tightening of dangerous occurrence rules aimed squarely at construction activity.

Tunnelling is being brought firmly into scope, with incidents on works involving tunnels over 1.2m in diameter set to become reportable.

Falling objects reporting rules will also be widened beyond lifting operations to capture any unintentional drop from structures under construction or demolition that could cause death — a move that will increase reporting across everyday site operations.

Plant safety is another big shift. HSE wants mandatory dangerous occurrence reporting for overturning incidents involving excavators, mobile plant, drill rigs and piling rigs, as site risks come under greater scrutiny.

Structural failures are also in the spotlight, with collapses of roofs, ceilings, temporary works and trenches all set to trigger reporting requirements — tightening expectations around temporary works control and ground risk management.

Alongside incident reporting, contractors face a broader net on occupational health.

HSE is proposing to expand the current list of six reportable diseases by reintroducing nine conditions from earlier rules including asbestosis, silicosis, decompression illness linked to tunnelling and diving, and significant hearing loss.

Alongside the legal changes, HSE is also targeting the reporting process itself, with plans to simplify the online system to tackle both under-reporting and over-reporting — a persistent issue on busy sites.

Rachael Radway, deputy director of regulation at HSE, said: “RIDDOR reporting is central to how we identify emerging risk, target regulatory activity and contribute to the evidence base for workplace health and safety.

“This consultation allows those who will be affected by the changes to have their say as we look to improve standards and reduce the burden on business.”

The consultation runs until 30 June.