Pressure to make Covid-19 a reportable illness intensifies
The calls for Covid-19 to be made a reportable illness under health and safety legislation has intensified, with TDs from across the political spectrum questioning the legal basis for refusing to do so.
These concerns were first voiced by ICTU general secretary Patricia King last March, but have been reiterated at recent meetings of the Special Oireachtas Committee on Covid-19.
At the August 13th hearing by the committee, where health and safety in meat plants was the issue, Ms King reiterated the trade union movement's call for Covid-19 to be made a reportable disease under the Reporting of Accident and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations. She said: "Congress has petitioned both the HSA and the Government to classify this disease as an occupational injury".
Making it clear that the trade union movement is "very dissatisfied" with the HSA's response, which seems not to be supportive, but rather views Covid-19 as a public health issue and not a safety, health and welfare at work issue, she said Congress has through its representation on the HSA board 'sought to have this very serious matter progressed but all such efforts have been rejected through correspondence from the chairman of the HSA". Ms King's remark lends credence to rumours of tensions on the HSA board.
From Health & Safety Review, Sep 2020
