Number of people who died at work rises by 33%

THE number of people who died at work last year rose by 33%.

Despite improvements in the agriculture industry the number of lives lost on building sites rose dramatically.

The sinking of two trawlers at the beginning of the year also contributed to the inflated figures that left 67 people dead, compared with 50 in 2006.

Seven fishermen lost their lives within days of each other after the Honeydew II and the Pere Charles sank off the Waterford coast. There were 12 deaths in the fishing sector throughout the year, 10 more than in 2006.

The building industry lost 18 workers, a 50% rise on 2006.

The figures were contained in the annual breakdown from the Health and Safety Authority.

It said there was a significant improvement in the agricultural sector. Its report said 11 people died on farmyards last year, a drop of seven. The authority’s chief executive Martin O’Hagan praised farmers who had adhered to a new safety code established in late 2006.

“The Farm Safety Code of Practice along with the associated awareness campaigns and training programmes are having the desired impact.

“While the sharp reduction in agriculture fatalities is most welcome, we are seriously concerned at the increase in other sectors, particularly construction and fishing.

“The authority will continue to focus its resources in these and other high-risk sectors and they will feature prominently in our activities for 2008 and beyond,” he said.

The authority said the most common case of fatal accident was caused by either a fall, collapse or break-up of work material. These material failures caused 16 fatalities while 10 died because of falls off high points on site. The drownings off Dunmore East meant Waterford had the highest concentration of workplace fatalities (10) followed by Dublin, where nine died. The authority had 7,000 non-fatal accidents reported during 2007.

Junior Labour Affairs Minister Billy Kelleher said with technologies improving there was no excuse for an increase in fatalities. “With effort on all sides and the aid of modern communications and an educated workforce it is possible to reduce this figure,” he said.

The release of the 2007 figures came on the day a section of Washington Street in Cork was closed off after alarm was raised about falling mortar. The fire brigade inspected the area but found the buildings to be structurally sound.

A fire brigade spokesman blamed the scare on the filling between blocks which blew to ground but did not pose a serious hazard.