Irish concern at overall increase in workplace deaths for 2007
Figures published by the Health and Safety Authority today (Thursday 3rd of January 2008) show that although there was a significant reduction in agriculture fatalities, 67 work-related deaths were reported in 2007 compared to 50 in 2006.
The overall increase in the figures for workplace fatalities was mainly due to an increase in the construction and fishing sectors. There were 18 deaths in the construction sector in 2007 compared to 12 in 2006 and 12 deaths in the fishing sector in 2007 compared to 2 in 2006.
There was a significant reduction in the agriculture sector (11 fatalities) compared to last year (18 fatalities) representing a decrease of just under 40%. The Health and Safety Authority published a Farm Safety Code of Practice in late 2006 and Martin O’Halloran, CEO of the Authority, welcomed the reduction in workplace deaths in this sector. “The Farm Safety Code of Practice along with the associated awareness campaigns and training programmes are having the desired impact.
'I welcome the reduction in fatalities in the agriculture sector and strongly encourage all farmers to remain vigilant when it comes to safety around their farms”, he said.
“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 added.
The most common fatal accident triggers overall were ‘fall, collapse or breakage of material’ (16) and ‘falls from height’ (10). Five were due to ‘loss of control of transport or handling equipment’ and seven of the fatalities were presumed drowned. The highest number of fatalities occurred in Dublin (9) and Waterford (10).
Over 7000 non-fatal work injuries were reported to the Authority in 2007. The most common non-fatal accident triggers in 2007 for all sectors were ‘handling, lifting and carrying’ (34%), and ‘slips, trips and falls’ (18%). These have been the two most common accident triggers every year since 2000.
Martin O’Halloran, CEO of the Authority further added “a huge amount of work has been done to raise awareness and promote good practice and we will continue to work with employer and employee organisations in our goal of making workplace safety, health and welfare an integral part of doing business in every workplace in modern Ireland.”
Billy Kelleher TD, Minister for Labour Affairs, welcomed the significant reduction in agriculture fatalities but expressed concern that the overall figure for workplace fatalities had risen. “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 major theme of the Health and Safety Authority strategy is to create a national culture of excellence in workplace safety, health and welfare. Minister Kelleher added, “I strongly support this theme. A safety culture should be top of the agenda in all workplaces. Developing this culture brings many benefits not least of which is less grief and suffering. It also promotes greater vigilance and the use of safe systems of work and can result in the need for less heavy enforcement.”
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