Workplace deaths increased by 25% last year

A TOTAL of 73 people were killed in work-related accidents in 2005 — an increase of 25% on the previous year and the highest level of fatalities in over a decade.

The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) has expressed concern at the reversal of an overall downward trend in the number of workplace deaths since 1995 when 77 lives were lost in work-related accidents.

The HSA — which published its annual report yesterday — said it was worried about the high rate of fatal accidents in the construction and agricultural sectors, particularly among elderly farmers.

However, the number of non-fatal serious accidents reported to the HSA fell by 4% to 8,104 last year.

HSA chief executive Tom Beegan also expressed concern at the disproportionate number of fatal injuries suffered by non-national workers. Nine out of 64 worker fatalities in 2005 involved foreign nationals — a fatality rate of 5.6 per 100,000 compared to a rate of three per 100,000 for Irish workers.

“Non-Irish nationals are twice as likely to die in a work-related accident than Irish workers and three times more likely to have a fatal accident if they are involved in construction,” Mr Beegan said yesterday.

There were 18 work-related deaths among farm workers last year — a figure which makes it the most dangerous profession with 14.7 fatalities per 100,000 workers.

Twenty-three deaths were reported among construction employees — the highest level since 1998 — although the death rate is almost half that of those in the agricultural sector at 8.3 fatalities per 100,000.

There were six fatalities related to mining and quarrying, with the first mining death recorded in the sector for many years.

The HSA said it had also investigated over 3,630 complaints about health and safety practices at work sites, while its new Workplace Contact Unit set up last July has handled over 17,500 queries in its first six months of operation.

HSA officials carried out 13,549 inspections on workplaces last year — an increase of 19% on 2004 figures.

Although the HSA reported that 28% of workplaces in high-risk sectors like construction, agriculture and mining had little or no compliance with health and safety legislation, just 40 prosecutions were initiated by the HSA against alleged offenders last year.

Successful convictions were obtained in 34 cases, with fines totalling €463,338 imposed by the courts.

Mr Beegan defended the low level of prosecutions, claiming the HSA preferred to use a range of powers to obtain compliance, with decisions to prosecute being taken as a last resort.

He welcomed the stiffer penalties provided for in the new Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, which he described as “the most modern piece of legislation in Europe.”

Minister for Labour Affairs Tony Killeen said the growing number of work-related deaths was “a worrying development,” despite the introduction of improved health and safety legislation in the workplace.

However, Mr Killeen said the number of workers who were also safe because of the work done by the HSA should not be forgotten

So far this year, a total of 10 deaths have been reported in workplace accidents.