HSE release COVID-19 reporting figures

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has released details of COVID-19 disease reports made by employers to the HSE and local authorities since 10 April 2020.

Where a worker has been diagnosed as having COVID-19 and there is reasonable evidence to suggest that it was caused by occupational exposure, employers are required to report the case to the relevant enforcing authority under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) SI 2013/1471.

The latest figures up to the week ending 11 July include:

• 7,971 disease notifications of COVID-19 in workers where occupational exposure is suspected were reported, including 119 deaths;
• around 80% of all worker reported cases (fatal and non-fatal) were in HSE enforced workplaces;
• the majority of reports received are for workers in the health and social work sector (for example hospitals, residential homes and daycare);
• 85% of worker COVID-19 reports received were from workplaces in England, 8% in Wales and 7% in Scotland, with numbers generally falling week-on-week since the beginning of May.

All cases that were reported to the HSE and local authorities are currently being assessed and investigations initiated where necessary.

Changes to RIDDOR reporting

The statutory disease reporting form was changed on 10 April, to enable systematic identification of COVID-19 reports.

Guidance was also issued on this date around reporting requirements for COVID-19 deaths under RIDDOR.