Notifying accidents and dangerous occurrences involving specified animal pathogens

A licence holder is required to notify the licensing authority immediately in the event of:

• An accident or dangerous occurrence involving any of the specified animal pathogens listed in Schedule 1 of SAPO.
• The loss of a specified animal pathogen during its transportation.

An accident is an adverse event that actually results in the release of a specified animal pathogen from containment.

A dangerous occurrence is an adverse event involving a SAPO3 or SAPO4 pathogen, where the specified animal pathogen is not released from containment but where there was significant potential for this to have happened.

For further guidance on accidents and dangerous occurrences read Guidance for licence holders on the containment and control of specified animal pathogens.

How do I report an accident?

For accidents and loss of specified animal pathogens during transit, it is best to contact HSE by telephone in the first instance. A completed accident notification should be sent within 24 hours of the accident being brought to the licence holder's attention.

For dangerous occurrences it is acceptable to notify HSE in writing within 24 hours of being brought to the licence holder's attention.