SPEECH BY MR. TOM KITT T.D. MINISTER FOR LABOUR, TRADE AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS AT THE LAUNCH OF THE HEALTH AND SAFETY AUTHORITY'S 1997 ANNUAL REPORT ON MONDAY 5TH OCTOBER 1998.

I am very pleased to be here today to receive the 1997 Annual Report from Mary Buckley on behalf of the Board and staff of the Authority.

The Report is a record of the work undertaken by the Authority during the period under review - 1997 - and makes very informative reading. As the Chairperson has said, the format of this year's report is different. It is not just a superficial difference - there is a qualitative difference and I welcome that very much. While it is important to push ahead diligently with our work in this field, it is equally important to be able to measure the results of that work. In this regard, I would like to put on the record how impressed I have been by the professionalism displayed by the Authority in its work. I have seen this professionalism at first hand as I have participated in many of its new initiatives and publications.

I am of the strong view that this Report is not simply a record of the work undertaken by one State Agency. From the activities undertaken by the Authority, one cannot, but, be very impressed by the various organisations who work closely with the Authority in the promotion of workplace safety.

Their work has undoubtedly prevented further loss of life and serious injuries and this is what the whole approach to workplace health and safety is all about. It is about everyone involved working together in partnership and collective ownership towards the same objective. That objective, put simply, is the prevention of death and injury in and around the workplace. It is about all the players taking all their duties and responsibilities seriously. There is no room for an 'a la carte' approach to safety when people's lives and livelihoods are at stake. Indeed, I know that many of these partners are represented here today and, on behalf of the Government, I would like to assure them that their vision, commitment and willingness to undertake this work is greatly appreciated.

During 1997 there was significant media attention and focus on the construction sector. While extremely welcome and helpful in raising the profile of construction safety, column inches and sound bites do not, alone, regrettably, save lives. As I have said before, safety is an issue which affects everybody who works, and this is particularly so in the construction sector. The Authority for its part is endeavouring to ensure that all practicable steps are being taken to improve construction safety. I fully support the Authority in this work and look forward to a time when the accident record of the construction sector will be at least equal to, if not better than, industry generally. This is not a mere wish or a dream on my part. Urgent action is necessary in order to ensure that further loss of life can be prevented and such action is being taken.

I would wish to emphasise that safety is not simply about what happens on a site when an Inspector visits. Safety is about developing a culture within which everybody is conscious of their own safety and that of their colleagues and acts accordingly. It is not about shortcuts or the quickest way to finish the job. Neither is it solely the employer's responsibility. That said, however, employers must provide the necessary personnel, financial resources and support systems to ensure that all work can easily be undertaken in a safe manner. Clients, designers and employees must, and indeed are required to, be part of the safety process. From inception to completion, each and every project should be planned and executed as a safe project. There are good examples in the construction sector of companies who are managing safety well and reaping the benefits. I would urge others to follow this road because the alternative does not bear thinking about. I commend those in the sector who have risen to the challenge to manage site safety in a positive, pro-active manner. They have shown what can be done and should be congratulated for their efforts.

It is sometimes assumed that the many cranes that dominate the skylines of our cities are indicative of the high pressure, dangerous building sites. In fact, construction accidents are not confined to this high profile, large-scale activity in the greater urban centres. The truth of the matter is somewhat different. Many recent construction accidents have occurred outside major urban centres on relatively small-scale construction projects. This highlights the fact that all construction activity is potentially dangerous. Scale is not an indication of risk and care is required on all construction projects.

I firmly believe that a major culture change in the approach to safety is required in the construction sector, in its broadest sense, on the part of both employers and workers. I have recently had meetings with both SIPTU, one of the major unions representing construction employees, and the CIF to discuss the main issues of common concern. In essence, I want to see all sides working together actively and constructively, not just at national level but at individual site level as well, to bring about such a change.

Another sector that has taken much of the Authority's attention is agriculture, a traditionally high-risk area. The results of the second National Survey on farm safety commissioned by the Authority - and undertaken by Teagasc - showed a welcome reduction in all farm accidents, a halving of fatal accidents and, in general, an increase in safety awareness. Much of this success is due to the fact that the representative groupings within the sector actively promoted and encouraged safe farming and have taken ownership and responsibility for their own safety. I am aware that, unfortunately, 1998 has not been a particularly good year for farm safety with an increase in the number of fatalities - particularly those involving young children. These tragic occurrences cause us all to redouble our efforts to ensure further loss of life can be prevented. It is imperative that we fully appreciate that safety is not something that can be solved and then forgotten about. It requires constant attention to detail - ensuring old risks are under control and new ones identified and dealt with as they emerge.

One such 'new area' is the area of psychosocial hazards in the workplace, including stress and bullying. I know that the Authority shares my personal concerns in this sphere and that it has been working on the issue of bullying in consultation with a number of other key bodies. I look forward to seeing further progress on this topic very soon.

The Health and Safety Authority is presenting this report at a time when Ireland is enjoying great economic progress. However, as a country, we are now facing into new economic challenges associated with the single currency and all the constraints and disciplines that this imposes. In particular, the Government is committed to keeping tight control of public expenditure, which means that all requests for additional resources are very critically examined. Nonetheless, as Minister, I am very aware of the need for adequate resources for the Authority to undertake its work. To this end, I have been successful in securing additional resources - twenty new staff have been approved for the Authority in the last year - and many of these new staff have taken up their appointments with the balance to be recruited in the near future. The allocation of these additional staffing resources by the Government is a positive and significant response at political level. It is a signal of the Government's commitment and willingness to ensure the protection of the health and safety of the Irish workforce.

I do not doubt that more resources will be required and I will continue to work with, and on behalf of, the Authority to maximise the available resources. However, I want to underline, again, my belief that the most effective way of eliminating workplace accidents is for employers and workers alike to take more responsibility for their own safety.

The Government, for its part, is also more than aware of the excellent work being done by the Authority to promote greater awareness of health and safety in the workplace. The 1997 Annual Report, which we are launching this morning, is testament to this work. Each page details the work of the Authority, its complexity, scope and application. Much excellent work has been done but much remains to be done. The safety and health of the Irish workforce is and remains a key Government concern. Our rapidly expanding economy can only be fuelled and sustained if we continue to have a safe workforce. Safety must be an integral part of the management of business. Lip service to safety will not result in sustained improvements. Actions speak louder than words. There are obvious economic benefits for managing safety well in a business, not least of which is improved bottom-line profitability. Equally, there are social and moral responsibilities which cannot be shirked. Who among us would want to have to call to the door of a colleague to tell friends and family that they have been injured or killed as a result of a workplace accident? We owe it to each other to ensure our ongoing safety.

Earlier this year at the Authority's Annual Joint Conference in Belfast, organised with our friends and colleagues in the Health and Safety Agency in Northern Ireland, I offered my own personal vision of where I felt workplace health and safety can and should be going over the next ten years.

I now wish to re-state, briefly, this vision as I feel that there is an opportunity that must be grasped. Safety has to move centre stage.

• I see an increasingly confident well-educated workforce demanding safety as a right and fully prepared to take on their own responsibilities to ensure this.
• I see firms working with the State and with each other to build safety into every process and activity.
• I see businesses priding themselves on the quality of life of their workers because of the contribution this can make to the overall prosperity of the firm, and,
• I see a society where "cowboy" employers or workers who take unnecessary risks and endanger lives are ostracised from society and feel the full weight of social as well as legal censure.

I am committed to this vision and with your help and support I believe we can see it fulfilled.

In conclusion, I am pleased to accept this Report, the detail of which I will be looking at in much greater detail with my officials in the coming weeks.