The Health and Safety Authority Releases

The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton TD, has today (Tuesday 26th) launched the 2011 Annual Report and Statistics Summary of the Health and Safety Authority.

During 2011 there were 32 prosecutions for health and safety breaches with penalties including five suspended sentences and €819,700 in fines imposed.
 
The Authority carried out 15,340 inspections and investigations with 7% of them resulting in formal enforcement action.

Loss of control of vehicles and/or machinery was the most common cause of workplace deaths (15 in 2011).
 
Manual handling related injuries continue to account for approximately one third of the 6,956 non-fatal injuries reported with slips, trips and falls (17%) being the next most common.

Launching the reports, Minister Bruton said:
 
“The Authority has used its constrained resources in areas that need them the most and during 2011 continued to target sectors with high injury rates; however I am very concerned about the continued rise in workplace fatalities. Every workplace fatality is avoidable and represents a terrible tragedy for a family and a community. Combatting workplace fatalities represents a huge challenge for both the HSA and employers and I will continue to assist them in any way I can".
 
Martin O’Halloran, CEO of the Authority, said that, “Our essential belief is that nobody’s health and safety should be harmed by work activity. We know, from our accident investigations that many of the 54 fatal accidents reported last year were preventable. While some work can be hazardous, good health and safety practice does save lives. Those companies which are successful in protecting the safety, health and welfare of their staff are also successful in business.”  
 
The Chairman of the Health and Safety Authority, Michael Horgan, said that 2011 was a year of significant achievements, “Last year we have engaged a number of programmes designed to reduce workplace injuries and illnesses and lessen the administrative burden. We are sure that these initiatives will make a real difference by helping employers and employees to better manage and understand workplace health and safety.”
 

Copies of both reports can be downloaded from http://www.hsa.ie/eng/Publications_and_Forms/Publications/ 

2011 Annual Report key highlights

• The Workplace Contact Unit of the HSA dealt with more than 27,000 contacts, and over 500,000 advisory and guidance publications were downloaded free of charge from our website.

• A total of 15,340 inspections and investigations were undertaken by the Authority in 2011.

• In 2011, 535 Improvement Notices and 436 Prohibition Notices were issued to address specific activities.

• In 2011 as part of the Authority’s efforts to support small business the Taking Care of Business initiative was launched nationally with almost 2,000 visitors to the event in the National Convention Centre.

• There were 1,115 occupational hygiene inspections and 99 chemicals investigations completed in 2011

• As part of the Authority’s involvement in the National Advisory Group on Unfinished Housing Developments, approximately 150 inspections were completed

Summary of Workplace Injury, Illness and Fatality Statistics 2010 – 2011 Key Highlights

• Non-Irish national workers comprised over 12% of the Irish workforce at the end of 2011, similar to 2010

• 16% of non-fatal injuries notified to the Authority in 2010 involved non-Irish national workers

• There were 54 workplace fatalities reported to the Authority during 2011.

• 6,956 non-fatal injuries were reported in 2011

• Of the 54 fatalities, 6 involved non-workers. Of the 48 worker fatalities, 22 involved self-employed persons

• Vehicles were the most common cause of workplace deaths in 2011, with 40% of fatal accidents recorded involving vehicles

• Cork registered the highest number of workplace fatalities in 2011 with 13 fatalities in total, 6 of which occurred in farming

Number of reported fatalities (worker and non-worker) by county 2006-2011 (HSA)