In the News
The Environment Agency has published four temporary COVID-19 regulatory position statements (COVID-19 RPSs). These cover: • Monitoring and reporting • Regulated industry installations (non-waste) • Waste management (excluding radioactive waste) • Water industry The Agency states that “each COVID-19 RPS sets out when they apply and the conditions you must comply with”. The obligation to comply with all other environmental regulatory requirements remains. https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/covid-19-regulatory-position-statements
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is advising healthcare workers currently using respiratory protective equipment (RPE) on the importance of ensuring it is fitted correctly. A respirator that is incorrectly fitted will not protect the wearer.
Tight-fitting respirators rely on having a good seal with the wearer’s face. It is vital that before using a respirator for the first time, or before using a different brand of respirator, wearers pass a fit test for the model and size of respirator they are going to use. This is to make sure the equipment fits to their particular facial characteristics.
HSE state that reports of COVID-19 should only be made under RIDDOR (The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013) when:
an unintended incident at work has led to someone’s possible or actual exposure to coronavirus. This must be reported as a dangerous occurrence. a worker has been diagnosed as having COVID 19 and there is reasonable evidence that it was caused by exposure at work. This must be reported as a case of disease. a worker dies as a result of occupational exposure to coronavirus.