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Posted By Stuart Burton
Hi everyone
Have you any views or experiences on the following topic.
A friend of mine works in the pathology department of a local hospital. She tells me that on a couple of occasions each week her colleagues are expected to use their own vehicles to attend clinics within the local area. They take blood samples, amongst other things, from patients and return them to the path lab for testing.
Besides carrying colleagues as passengers in their vehicles they are also carrying very expensive sampling equipment and cold stores. The equipment is worth several thousands of pounds.
The problems, as I see them, are the insurance considerations along with the biohazards should they be involved in an accident.
I would very much appreciate your views and experiences. Better still, if you have had to deal with a similar situation could you give me some insights into what you did.
Best wishes … Stuart …
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Posted By Darren Mcdonald
Hi Stuart,
I would say that your concerns are correct in regards to insurance issues. It is likely that the employees do not have business use insurance for their vehicles, especially involving the transportation of biohazards and people (colleagues). The hospital would also be vicariously liable for any accident which they were involved in. Would the hospital's insurance cover any losses to the expensive equipment? Biohazards are also included in the COSHH Regulations and therefore require a risk assessment including containment if necessary. If any of the specimens require temperature control would this be adequate in a domestic car, especially in the summer?
Hope this has been of some use to you
regards
Darren
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Posted By Shane Johnston
The main issue is insurance. If the individuals claim milage alowance then they probably have to have "business use" in their personal motor insurance. In the Hospitals policy I hope it makes it clear what that insurance has to cover (eg, passengers, equipment, speciemns etc).
With regards Biohazards, unless they are taking samples from known infected people (HIV, Hep etc), then the samples themselves are ACDP hazard group 2. These can be transported quite safely in a car if packaged appropriately.
Shane.
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