LABOUR has condemned the “outrageous decision” not to re-classify Covid-19 as a “serious workplace risk” following a review by Health and Safety Executive (HSE) bosses. 

After management reconsidered the classification in April, the government agency announced on Wednesday that it would not change, despite reports that labelling coronavirus as a “significant risk” — less severe than “serious” —  meant HSE inspectors did not have the power to halt dangerous working.

It comes after the Office for National Statistics identified 15,263 deaths of working-age people with coronavirus between April 2020 and last month.