I love it when people agree with me!

Of course about 3 weeks into the pandemic the Head of Policy at a webinar I attended said exactly the same thing!

What is interesting  is that after the government started telling people to do so called “risk assessments” for Covid-19 the HSE acquiesced to the policy change with out actually endorsing it.

And of course the Welsh regulations-“nothing to do with us mate!”

Originally Posted by: achrn

Principles that employers can follow will also be published on 1 April to help them decide how to reduce risks in their workplace

https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus has just updated.  The new guidance for businesses is ... absent.

The new guidance for workplaces appears to be that there is no guidance for workplaces.

Edited by user 01 April 2022 11:47:55(UTC)  | Reason: link formatting

Originally Posted by: achrn

Originally Posted by: achrn

Principles that employers can follow will also be published on 1 April to help them decide how to reduce risks in their workplace

https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus has just updated.  The new guidance for businesses is ... absent.

The new guidance for workplaces appears to be that there is no guidance for workplaces.

It has turned up now: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/reducing-the-spread-of-respiratory-infections-including-covid-19-in-the-workplace

The new weasel words about whether it's an occupational H&S issue seem to be:

"While there is no longer a requirement for all employers to explicitly consider COVID-19 in their statutory health and safety risk assessments, it is important that as a business, organisation or an employer you continue to comply with your legal obligations relating to health and safety, employment and equality duties."

and

"The requirement for every employer to explicitly consider COVID-19 in their health and safety risk assessment has been removed. Employers may choose to continue to cover COVID-19 in their risk assessments."

One thing I note is that the symptoms-of-covid list has expanded.  "Symptoms of COVID-19, flu and common respiratory infections" in that document has:

• continuous cough
• high temperature, fever or chills
• loss of, or change in, your normal sense of taste or smell
• shortness of breath
• unexplained tiredness, lack of energy
• muscle aches or pains that are not due to exercise
• not wanting to eat or not feeling hungry
• headache that is unusual or longer lasting than usual
• sore throat, stuffy or runny nose
• diarrhoea, feeling sick or being sick

REPORTED

Originally Posted by: chris42

Originally Posted by: chris42

So, it will be interesting to see what they put on their updated web page or will that page just disappear from the face of the earth, with no further comment.

 Sorry we couldn't find that page (404 error)

What a surprise

Pseudonym and I disagree on if there is any actual legislation opposed to guidance or drivel coming from the First Minister, still requiring a formal risk assessment. No clarification from the HSE, so we are left on our own as normal.

Chris

New Welsh guidance out yesterday

Employers have a general legal responsibility to maintain the health and safety and welfare of workers, and others attending their premises (on hse.gov.uk), but, there is no longer a legal requirement for every business to consider coronavirus in their risk assessment or have coronavirus specific control measures in place to control the transmission of coronavirus in general circulation. Therefore, the health and safety requirement for every employer to explicitly consider coronavirus in their risk assessment will be removed.

Chris