Self-employed people can lose their livelihood when an accident or ill-health strikes. While the risks are broadly the same as those faced by other workers, the vulnerability of the self-employed to bad health and accidents can be significantly higher.

As many as 189,700 people (164,100 male and 25,600 female) are classified as self-employed in the 1997 Labour Force Survey. These are self-employed people who do not employ paid staff. That's a lot of people out on their own juggling the myriad skills required to earn their living from self-employment who might consider time spent on health issues important, but not urgent.

But these are the people who have most to lose if they have an accident or serious illness. More than 50 per cent of self-employed people without paid employees are involved in agriculture, forestry and fishing (a total of 95,800, of whom 90,400 are male and 5,300 female). Some 27,200 (20,800 male, 6,400 female) work in commerce, insurance, finance and business services. A further 17,000 (16,700 male, 300 female) self-employed people without employees work in the construction sector. Another 13,200 (7,500 male, 5,700 female) work in professional services.

Production industries like mining, food processing, the textile industry, engineering and publishing account for 12,100 more (10,800 male, 1,300 female); 11,500 (11,000 male, 500 female) work in transport, communication and storage, while the remaining 12,800 (6,700 male and 6,100 female) work in various other sectors.

These figures don't include self-employed people with employees who are classified under "employers" in the Labour Force Survey, comprising a further 74,200 people (60,600 male and 13,600 female).

Combined, the self-employed with and without employees (238,300) constitute a disparate group almost as large as last December's seasonally adjusted number of unemployed people (244,100).

That's a considerable number of people most of whom work alone and who are primarily responsible for their own health and safety at work.

Moreover, self-employed people even those who work alone are required by the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 1989 to ensure the health and safety of all who come to their workplace and anyone who could be affected by their work.

They are required to take personal responsibility for customers, visitors, neighbours, those installing or repairing equipment, casual workers, part-timers, trainees, subcontractors, those who use their products or services, anyone who uses their equipment and the public.

Inspectors from the Health and Safety Authority are entitled, upon production of identification and without notice, to visit any workplace including those of the self-employed who work alone. However, unlikely such a visit might be, inspectors have the right to enter the houses of those who work from home.

Even self-employed people without employees are meant to have their own Safety Statement. While this might seem bureaucratic, the awareness gleaned from such an exercise can make for safer workplaces, prevent costly accidents and protect their own livelihood.

To prepare your own Safety Statement you need to: [SBX]

Write your safety policy. The safety policy of a self-employed person might simply state your commitment to safeguard your own and others' health in the workplace. It could also set targets to be met by specified dates for further improvement.

Identify all workplace hazards. Keep the identification of hazards short and simple. Walk around the workspace and access routes and exits, including the work-related parts of your home if you work from home. Notice possible hazards and the location and cause of any past slips or trips. Include physical and chemical hazards and biological agents like viruses if relevant.

Carry out a risk assessment. Assess the risk of each hazard. Who could be hurt and how? Your risk could be lost output, increases in insurance, a court appearance. Don't forget to think of customers, children, pregnant visitors, Telecom Eireann personnel repairing phones etc.

Determine precautions to take. For each hazard ask if you need to take additional precautions to avoid injuries or ill-health. Is there anything more you should do to obey the law's requirement that you do what's "reasonably practicable" to make the workplace safe?

Record what you've found.Write down the outcomes of your hazard identification, risk assessment and the precautions taken. This can be a useful document if you are taken to court. It shows that you have taken health and safety matters seriously.

Review and update. Review your Safety Statement periodically and after any significant change in the workplace like the introduction of new machinery or technology, during and after building renovations or following the introduction of new work practices.