Covid not a “serious” workplace risk - HSE

The decision by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to categorise Covid-19 as a ‘significant’ rather than ‘serious’ workplace risk has been heavily criticised, with the country’s opposition Labour Party describing it as “beyond belief”.

The categorisation came to light in a written reply from Employment Minister Mims Davies to a question from Labour shadow employment secretary, Andy McDonald, explaining that  HSE “has decided the category ‘significant’ in the Enforcement Management Model table best supports inspectors in making sensible, proportionate regulatory decisions. The definition is that the effects are non-permanent or reversible, non-progressive and any disability is temporary.”

According to the HSE’s figures, between 10 April 2020 and 6 February 2021, it had been notified of just under 27,500 such cases and 318 deaths. In addition, some 134,000 complaints relating to Covid concerns have been lodged with it, but just 192 enforcement notices have been issued and no prosecutions have been taken.

Said Andy McDonald MP: “Given that almost 113,000 people have died from Covid-19 and as many as one in five people are suffering from the effects of ‘long Covid’, it is beyond belief that the government does not consider the virus to be a serious risk to working people.”

The HSE hit back at the criticism, saying the language used in its Enforcement Management Model had been “taken out of context” and that any suggestion is it not treating the pandemic as serious is “wholly inaccurate”. A spokesperson explained: “Rather than highlighting one word in a theoretical framework, the focus should be on the totality of what HSE has done to ensure British workplaces are Covid-secure.”

Regarding the low level of enforcement action, the spokesperson elaborated: “We have found the vast majority of businesses are willing to make necessary changes promptly and without the need for enforcement notices. HSE will continue to prosecute where appropriate, but the best use of our time and resource is often to educate, persuade and to require matters to be put right immediately.”

Pointing out that the HSE has completed more than 100,000 spot checks of businesses and responded to some 19,000 concerns, the spokesperson concluded: “HSE’s evidence is that more than 90% of the businesses we have contacted have the right precautions in place.”

Union umbrella body the TUC disagrees, however, and has called on the UK government to “urgently beef up its workplace safety guidance and get tough on employers who put their workers in harm’s way”.

TINA WEADICK