Blood-borne virus legislation
In addition to the equality act, there is a moral and legal duty on employers to protect employees and members of the public. Here are the main laws applicable to employers regarding Blood-borne viruses (BBVs).
Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974
The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (external site) places the general duty on you to ensure the health, safety and welfare at work of all your employees.
To achieve this, you need to provide adequate:
- training
- instruction
- information
- supervision
It also places duties on employees to take reasonable care of their own safety and that of others.
They must co-operate with their employer to help them meet their legal obligations.
The management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (external site) places a duty on employers to assess and manage risks to their employees and others arising from work activities.
Employees must work safely in accordance with their training and the instructions given to them.
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002
The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (external site) states you have a duty to take reasonable steps to ensure that nobody is exposed to hazardous substances.
Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013
The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) advises that the following incidents must be reported.
Work-related exposures to biological agents may take place as a result of:
- an identifiable event, such as the accidental breakage of a laboratory flask, accidental injury with a contaminated syringe needle or an animal bite
- unidentified events, where workers are exposed to the agent without their knowledge
The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 say that, if you are in control of premises, you have a duty to report any BBV incident at your premises.
You can find a full list of specified injuries on the Health and Safety Executive website (external website).
Contact information
Message us or call our advice line on 0800 019 2211 if you need further information about BBVs.