Workplace fatalities down by 15% in 2008

Tuesday 23^rd June

The number of people killed in work related incidents saw a significant decrease in 2008 but we are still seeing unacceptable levels of workplace accidents and deaths. That was the message from Minister Dara Calleary TD at the launch today (Tuesday 23^rd June 2009) of the Health and Safety Authority’s 2008 Annual Report and Statistics Report.

Figures released in the reports show that there were 57 reported workplace deaths in 2008, a 15% reduction compared to 2007 (67 fatalities). While the Minister was pleased with the reduction he cautioned against complacency. “While the reduction in workplace fatalities is welcome, we still had 57 fatalities and thousands of workplace injuries, many of them preventable. We cannot afford to relax our vigilance in this area. In these times, we have to continually emphasise the message that keeping people safe and healthy at work and saving money are not mutually exclusive concepts,” he said.

The Minister also reminded workers of the key role that the EU has had in developing health and safety standards. “Health and safety at work is a right. The enhancement and enforcement of that right and, indeed, the wider spectrum of employee rights, has improved immeasurably since our accession to the EU. It is important that we remember that.”

According to Martin O’Halloran, Chief Executive of the Health and Safety Authority, investment in the safety, health and welfare of workers makes good business sense. “The evidence clearly shows that resources allocated to the safety, health and welfare of workers pays dividends. Employers have a legal and moral duty to protect their workers but there is also a strong financial case to do so too.”

Mr. O’Halloran continued, “I believe that the majority of employers do realise that investing in the safety, health and welfare of their workforces will show tangible benefits such as lower insurance premiums, greater productivity and fewer staff absences as well as protecting and saving lives, the most important benefit of all.”

Jim Lyons, Chairman of the Health and Safety Authority, added, “These are undoubtedly challenging times for employers but we cannot allow our health and safety standards to slip. In fact to do so could place a substantial, unnecessary and unsustainable financial burden on many businesses.”

Key highlights from the reports include:

• The number of work related deaths reported in 2008 was 57 compared to 67 in 2007.
• There were 6 non-worker fatalities in 2008, 4 of these were children.
• Over a third of work related deaths occurred in agriculture even though it employs just 6% of the workforce.
• 7,658 non-fatal accidents were reported to the HSA in 2008.
• The most common accident triggers remain manual handling and slips, trips and falls.
• In 2008 the Authority carried out 16,009 inspections.
• 14% of inspections resulted in enforcement action.
• 54% of inspections resulted in written advice and guidance.
• In 2008 fines totalling over €2.5 million were imposed for breaches of health and safety law.

Copies of the Health and Safety Authority’s Annual Report and Statistics Report 2008 can be downloaded for free from the Authority’s website at www.hsa.ie.