Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many cases related to covid-19 have been reported to the Health and Safety Executive; and how many of those cases have led to enforcement action.

Between 9 March 2020 and 4 May 2020, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has received reports of 50 dangerous occurrences, 1859 cases of occupational disease and 56 deaths to workers resulting from suspected COVID-19, under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013. HSE is processing these reports and progressing investigations as appropriate. No investigation has yet reached the stage of identifying the need for enforcement action.

HSE has received 6780 calls and on-line enquiries between 9 March 2020 and 4 May 2020 on covid-19 matters, including some specifically raising concerns about a workplace. HSE handles these concerns through a triaging process with the most serious cases being dealt with by an inspector. In 280 cases an inspector provided advice and checked the employer had acted on the advice. In 25 cases HSE has written formally to the business requiring improvements.