Management information: Coronavirus (COVID-19) disease reports

Made by employers to 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 2013(RIDDOR).

Latest published figures up to week ending 11 July show:

• 7,971 disease notifications of COVID-19 in workers where occupational exposure is suspected were reported to enforcing authorities (HSE and LAs) over the period 10th April – 11 July, including 119 death notifications
• around 80% of all worker reported cases (fatal and non-fatal) since 10 April were in HSE enforced workplaces
• the majority of reports received since 10th April are for workers in the Health and Social Work sector (including for example hospitals, residential homes and day care). Around 75% of reports were recorded by employers against these activities, although the actual percentage may be higher as it is known that many reports for this sector get mis-classified by employers, particularly to the accommodation sector and to other personal services
• 85% of worker COVID-19 reports received since 10 April were from workplaces in England, 8% in Wales and 7% in Scotland
• the number of COVID-19 notifications made to enforcing authorities has generally fallen week-on-week since beginning of May, and is now at the lowest weekly level since week commencing 12 April (consistent weekly data is unavailable prior to then)

Total suspected occupational COVID-19 reports made by employers to the Enforcing Authorities, 12 April to 11 July 2020

• all cases that are reported to HSE and Local Authorities are being assessed and investigations initiated where incidents meet our published Incident Selection Criteria. We are unable to comment on individual investigations at this time.

¹ 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. While some COVID reports may have been made prior to 10th April, they will not be consistent with later time periods. Therefore the data considers reports from 10 April onwards only.

Advance notice of publication update: Coronavirus (COVID-19)

These numbers will be updated at 10.00am on Monday 17th August to cover the period ending 8th August 2020.