Who should make the report?

This is the “responsible person”, usually the employer.

Under what circumstances should you make a report

The reporting requirements relating to cases of, or deaths from, COVID-19 under RIDDOR apply only to occupational exposure, that is, as a result of a person’s work.

What to report

You should only make a report under RIDDOR when one of the following circumstances applies:
• An accident or incident at work has, or could have, led to the release or escape of coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). This must be reported as a dangerous occurrence.
• A person at work (a worker) has been diagnosed as having COVID-19 attributed to an occupational exposure to coronavirus. This must be reported as a case of disease.
• A worker dies as a result of occupational exposure to coronavirus. This must be reported as a work-related death due to exposure to a biological agent.

Dangerous occurrences

Dangerous occurrences are certain unintended, specified events, which may not result in a reportable injury, but which do have the potential to cause significant harm.

For an incident to be reportable as a dangerous occurrence, the incident must have resulted (or could have resulted) in the release or escape of coronavirus.  That is, led to a possible or actual exposure to coronavirus.

Cases of disease: exposure to a biological agent

When deciding if a report is required, the responsible person must make a judgement, based on the information available, as to whether or not a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 is likely to have been caused by an occupational exposure.  That is, whether or not there is reasonable evidence that a work-related exposure is the likely cause of the disease.

The report should specify a disease due to exposure to a biological agent.  The case of disease report form should be used.

Work-related deaths due to exposure to a biological agent

For an incident to be reportable as a death due to occupational exposure to coronavirus there must be reasonable evidence that a work-related exposure caused the worker’s death.

The responsible person should notify the enforcing authority by the quickest practicable means, without delay, and send a report within 10 days. The report should specify death due to exposure to a biological agent using the “case of disease” report form.

 

Further information can be found on the HSE RIDDOR reporting of COVID-19 page here https://www.hse.gov.uk/coronavirus/riddor/index.htm

There is a new ‘Bad Air Day’ Website. The Welding Fume Team is a  group brought together by HSE, with the aim of promoting awareness and highlighting the potential risks to respiratory health from exposure to welding and thermal cutting fume.  www.badairday.info