The UK amended the Biological Agents Regulations

UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency on 16 May 2023 issued a merchant shipping notice amending the Biological Agents Regulations.

The purpose of this merchant shipping notice is to give detailed information required to comply with the Merchant Shipping and Fishing Vessels (Health and Safety at Work) (Biological Agents) Regulations 2010 as amended (“the Biological Agents Regulations”).

This notice provides guidance on the biological agents regulations;

shipowners and employers must assess the risks to those working on their ships from exposure to biological agents.
health surveillance may be required.

Relationship with the Merchant Shipping and Fishing Vessels (Health and Safety at Work) (Biological Agents) Regulations 2010

the biological agents regulations need to be read together with this merchant shipping notice as it sets out many of the details, standards and formalities which must be observed in order to comply with the legal obligations under those regulations. Failure to comply with those obligations may be a criminal offence under the biological agents regulations:

Annex 1 contain an indicative list of activities which would not involve a deliberate intention to work with or use biological agents.

Annex 2 shows the biohazard sign.

Annex 3 contains the recommended code of practice on vaccination

Annex 4 contains practical recommendations for the health surveillance of workers.

Annex 5 contains indications concerning containment measures and containment levels.

The biological agents regulations implement Directive 2000/54/EC on the protection of workers from risks related to exposure to biological agents at work and form part of the UK’s retained law.

All the obligations in the EU legislation mentioned in MSN 1889 (M+F) Amendment 3, which have affect in the UK prior to the 1st January 2021, are retained in UK law, with any necessary modifications, after the end of the EU Exit implementation period.