As an employer, you must:
- assess the risks from exposure to bloodborne viruses (BBVs) under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations
- implement appropriate measures to protect workers and others from infection risks
If a risk assessment shows there is a risk of exposure to biological agents, and effective vaccines exist, you should have arrangements in place to determine whether an employee is already immunised, and the vaccine should be offered to those who are not.
It is acknowledged that some workers prone to exposure may choose not to have the immunisation.
Find out more on our BBV risk assessment page.
Making the right arrangements
Under the Health and Safety at Work Act, employers must pay for protective measures such as immunisation. Where practical, this is likely to be provided through an occupational health provider.
Alternatively, the employee could be asked to arrange immunisation through their own GP, but the employer must make alternative arrangements if this cannot be done, and reimburse any charges made to the employee for such arrangements.
In providing vaccines, you should ensure employees are made aware of the advantages and disadvantages of immunisation and its limitations.
You should also keep occupational health records updated regarding any immunisation courses carried out.
Under the COSHH Regulations, individual workers have the right to know whether or not they have been protected by immunisation and their employers need to know if the vaccine has been effective following it.
You must consider how information on immunisation is communicated to managers, while maintaining medical confidentiality for the individual.
Hepatitis B – UK Health and Security Agency immunisation guidance
A safe and effective vaccine for the prevention of hepatitis B virus infection is available, and any requirement for it will be determined as part of the risk assessment described previously.
In settings where the workplace task is likely to lead to significant exposures on a regular basis, the UK Health and Security Agency green book indicates that it would be wise to offer immunisation to staff.
Further details on administration, individuals of occupational risk are in Chapter 18 of the green book.
Hepatitis C and HIV
There are currently no vaccines available against hepatitis C or HIV. However, measures can be taken following exposure, which may prevent the development of infection. There is advice on how to deal with an exposure incident.