The rate of workplace fatalities recorded in Ireland has halved in a decade, provisional figures for last year show, but older workers and those in the farming sector continue to be significantly over-represented in the statistics.
The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) recorded 33 workplace fatalities in 2024, down by a quarter on the previous year, although the total may yet increase as investigations are completed during the coming months.
With record numbers of people in employment, the latest figures confirm a long-term downward trend in the rates of fatal incidents, from 3.4 per 100,000 in 2003, to 2.8 in 2014, to 1.2 in 2024, with the latest figure being the lowest rate recorded by the authority since it was established in 1989.
The age profile of those who died shows the number aged over 55 was unchanged in 2024 when compared with the previous year, at 22. Given the wider reduction in deaths, from 43 to 33, that meant the percentage of those in older age categories obviously increased, from 52 per cent to 66 per cent.
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“As Ireland’s labour force is ageing, employers must pay particular attention to work activity involving older workers and ensure that the risk to their health and safety is proactively managed,” said the HSA’s assistant chief executive Mark Cullen.
Of the total, three of the fatal incidents involved women.
Incidents involving vehicles remain the most likely cause of death, the figures indicate, with 10 such fatalities last year. Six people who died were struck by a heavy or falling object, five died after falling from a height and five were crushed.
Three people were the victims of attacks by animals, with two of those incidents involving bulls.
In construction, one of the sectors that traditionally accounts for a large proportion of fatalities, the number of deaths fell from 10 in 2023 to five last year.
Across agriculture, forestry and fishing, the reduction was from 20 to 12.
While Mr Cullen welcomed the fall in fatalities, he said every death “is a tragedy for the person and family involved, and every [death] is preventable”.
He acknowledged the number of older farmers working alone remains a major issue, and said a great deal more needs to be done to persuade people to bring in help when doing work that is potentially dangerous.
The numbers of incidents involving quad bikes has declined but, he suggested, it is not yet clear how much of that might be down to legislation that came into force in November 2023, requiring those using the vehicles to complete a training course and wear protective equipment.
“It is too early to say the impact the legislation has had but a lot of work had been done on awareness in anticipation of it coming in,” he said.
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