I work in an NHS Trust and there is a current debate amongst my HR colleagues as to when we should be reporting potential exposure to COVID 19 as a dangerous occurrence under RIDDOR.  I am aware of the guidance from the HSE and I am clear on my views, but would appreciate your thoughts please.

Edited by user 15 April 2020 12:28:21(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

You should only report any actual disease (illness) that might be attributed to an occupational exposure to a biological agent.  From the tone of your thread you seem to be concerned as to whether you feel that the measures that your employer is using in relation to Covid-19 are adequate. You should first the employer for a copy of the risk assessment that they have done for this as required under Reg 6 of COSHH and then see if the controls are suitable in relation to the risk assessment.

Unless you were a healthcare organisation treating people with known coronavirus infection or a laboratory working with the virus how would you know whether there was release? A person sneezing does not immediately imply emission of the virus unless it were known that they were infected (in which case they should be appropriately isolated or wearing suitable PPE).  Also, the effect on someone else would not be immediately apparent, so how would you know that it was the first person's sneeze that caused that other person to be diagnosed some days later with COVID-19?

Would you know that the surface that someone had had contact with in your workplace was infected and it was the transfer of the virus from that surface (as opposed to some other exposure, not at work) that has resulted in their becoming infected?

I think it is important to keep some sense of reality here.

The Society of Occupational Medicine has just sent me a response on this topic from the HSE. This is extremely detailed and, in my view, comprehensive and clear statement of when a COVID-19 infection becomes reportable under RIDDOR.

PM me your e-mail address and I will see what I can do.