Dr. Sharon McGuinness:

The HSA workplace contact unit receives quite a significant level of contacts, which can be either queries or complaints. Since 1 March we have had over 3,735 different contacts to the HSA workplace contact unit. The majority, 3,188, referred to requests for information, where someone asked a question and we provide an answer. There were about 547 complaints in total, of which roughly 288 to date related to Covid. We are still addressing a number of those.

As I said previously, a complaint to the HSA - and we continue to have the same process - can be made, we must assess it, track it, refer it to, and discuss it with, the employer and we follow up as appropriate with the employer, be it indirectly or through an inspection. We keep everything confidential, both for the complainant and the employer, and we do not tend to go back and explain when and if we have done an inspection. That is not part of our general role. What we do is ensure that everyone is addressed. The challenge was, and the benefit of the protocol is now, that we have a clear framework both from an employer and worker perspective, that they know what is expected from us as the regulator and that will allow us to take the appropriate action and steps.