Labour Research June 2021

Health & Safety Matters

Industrial disease

COVID must be classified as an industrial disease, says the GMB general union, with more occupational support in place for long COVID sufferers.

Earlier this year, the UK Industrial Injuries Advisory Council found evidence of a doubling of the risk of COVID infection for several occupations, including social care and nursing.

But it did not recommend prescribing COVID-19 as a work-related disease for industrial injury disablement benefit “at this time”.