Dramatic reduction in workplace deaths as numbers drop 25% to 43

THERE was a 25% reduction in the number of workplace deaths in 2009, according to the Health and Safety Authority’s latest annual report.

There were 43 deaths reported to the authority last year, compared with 57 in 2008.

The HSA said the reduction could not simply be attributed to the downturn in the numbers of people in employment as it pointed out the worker fatality rate had also dropped to two fatalities per 100,000 workers.