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COVID-19: COVID-19: UPDATED REPORTING GUIDANCE FOR EMPLOYERS

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COVID-19: COVID-19: UPDATED REPORTING GUIDANCE FOR EMPLOYERS

Post by Safety »

Hi all,

New guidance on reporting COVID:

https://www.ioshmagazine.com/2020/11/10 ... -employers

WHAT MUST BE REPORTED?

The HSE has identified three COVID-19 specific circumstances in which a Responsible Person should make a report:

An accident or incident at work has, or could have, led to the release or escape of coronavirus. This must be reported as a dangerous occurrence.

A worker has been diagnosed with COVID-19 attributed to an occupational exposure to coronavirus. This must be reported as a case of disease.

So as I read this bullet point 2 means anyone who has been diagnosed with having a positive COVID test who works for the company?

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.
RIDDOR typically requires diagnosis by a medical practitioner. However, given most COVID cases are diagnosed following a laboratory test, the HSE is taking what it calls a 'pragmatic approach in these highly unusual circumstances'. Responsible Persons are therefore on notice to treat any 'official confirmation' of infection as being equivalent to the diagnosis of a registered medical practitioner.
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Re: COVID-19: COVID-19: UPDATED REPORTING GUIDANCE FOR EMPLOYERS

Post by Alexis »

Many thanks for this Safety.
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Re: COVID-19: COVID-19: UPDATED REPORTING GUIDANCE FOR EMPLOYERS

Post by MSpurling »

I disagree with how you are interpreting point 2.

For me it is anyone who routinely comes into contact with potential COVID-19 in their day to day work, such as nurses, doctors, etc. and the high likelihood is they caught it at work. Otherwise companies at the moment would be reporting COVID-19 cases left, right and centre.
Catching COVID-19 from a colleague at an office, for example, I wouldn't call occupational exposure.
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Re: COVID-19: COVID-19: UPDATED REPORTING GUIDANCE FOR EMPLOYERS

Post by Safetysmurf »

I agree with MSpurling;

this is predominantly targeting clinical settings such as occupations that are dealing with Covid 19 on a daily basis; hospitals, doctors surgeries, care homes, etc.
How would you know that someone has contracted the virus outside of these settings in say a factory or construction site as we cannot see the virus and it can be transmitted during a period of 14 days or so. It is much more likely that if someone has the virus and is being treated in a clinical setting that the employees that are treating that person with the virus would also contract the virus.

My opinion only.

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