RIDDOR record redaction is the removal of worker identifiers from the logs an employer keeps under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, reported through the 2013 Regulations. The duty holder must record certain events, yet the clinical detail is special category data under UK GDPR Art. 9. anonym.plus marks each item on your own device, so the entry stays usable while the person is shielded.
When this applies
Such an entry pairs a worker's name and role with what befell them. When a copy passes to a safety rep or contractor, you trim the data the 1974 Act lets you protect, keeping only the dates and the event class.
How anonym.plus handles it
- Open the record in anonym.plus on your workstation.
- Local OCR reads a scanned or printed page.
- The tool flags names, roles, and the harm described.
- Confirm each flag and keep the reportable reference number.
- Swap each item for a steady label, or black it out.
- Save the clean copy. It never leaves your machine.
What you need to provide
- The filled record (PDF, XLSX, or scan).
- An operator: Replace (swap), Redact (black out), or Mask (partial).
- Optional allow-list to keep reference and line numbers.
PII entity types detected
| Category | anonym.plus entity type | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Names | PERSON | Charlotte Whitfield → [WORKER] |
| Health | MEDICAL_CONDITION | wrist fracture → [CONDITION] |
| NI number | UK_NINO | QQ 12 34 56 C → [NINO] |
| Dates | DATE_TIME | occurred 14/03/2026 → [DATE] |
| Location | LOCATION | Bay 4, Leeds depot → [AREA] |
| Org | ORGANIZATION | Pennine Works Ltd → [SITE] |
Compliance achieved
- Serves the general duty in HSWA 1974 s.2(1) and the record the responsible person keeps under RIDDOR 2013, which is held for at least three years from the date of the entry.
- Fits the disclosure limit in the Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regs 1977 reg. 7: an employer need not give a safety representative information relating specifically to an individual unless that person has consented to its disclosure.
- Handles the injury detail as special category data under UK GDPR Art. 9(1), on the employment and social security condition in Art. 9(2)(b) read with DPA 2018 Sch. 1 Pt. 1 para. 1, which expects an appropriate policy document.
- Runs fully offline, so worker data never reaches a server. Working copies are guarded by AES-256-GCM; 340+ PII types across 48 languages.
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Limitations & cautions
A small crew can be singled out by role plus date, even with no name. The tool flags listed items, but cannot judge when a rare task gives someone away. Review small-site rows yourself, and store such records apart as the ICO expects.
Frequently asked questions
What must such a record retain?
Enough to evidence the reportable event under RIDDOR 2013, such as the date, the event class, and the reference, and the record is kept for at least three years. Names and the NI number can be trimmed on a shared copy, which is exactly what reg. 7 of the Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regs 1977 contemplates.
Is the record uploaded for processing?
No. The desktop app runs on your device with no cloud step, so the special category data stays on your machine.
Will the entry still read after the swap?
Yes. The Replace operator drops a steady label in place of each item, so the dates and event class still make sense without naming the worker.