THE deaths of 19 fishermen was the main factor in the significant increase in the number of people killed at work last year, according to the Health and Safety Authority.
The HSA's annual report showed there were 78 deaths at work last year - a rise of 28 on 1994. Only one fisherman died in 1994, while in the worst fishing tragedy last year six fishermen died when the Carrickatine, was lost off north Donegal.
The report highlights "areas of concern" in the fishing industry which might have contributed to accidents. These include "not wearing life jackets, inadequate communications equipment and working in inclement weather".
A breakdown of last year's 78 fatal accidents shows that 28 took place in the agricultural, hunting and forestry industries and 19 in the construction industry.
At the report's launch, the Minister for Labour Affairs, Ms Eithne Fitzgerald, said "the accident toll at work is still unacceptably high and can be reduced". She denied SIPTU allegations of "inadequate" government funding of the HSA and was satisfied the HSA was targeting safety in the fishing industry with regular checks on boats.
Ms Mary Buckley, chairman of the HSA, said the cost of lack of safety at work could "be as much as £2 1/2 billion if insurance, social welfare, staff replacement and management time costs are added together".
The figures for accidents are compiled from questions in the Labour Force Survey and reports made directly to the HSA.
The report shows that 4,600 people experienced ill health causing them more than three days' absence as a result of their work last year - 800 fewer than the year before.
A total of 185,000 work days were lost due to occupational ill health last year and work injury benefit claims allowed by the Department of Social Welfare showed a decrease of 363 on the previous year.
While there were 900 more formal inspections carried out in workplaces than in the previous year, there were fewer formal inspections in the fishing industry.
A SIPTU member on the HSA board, Mr Sylvester Cronin, said Ireland did not spend enough on health and safety. "We spend £3 per person on this area, but the British spend £6 per person that is how bad things are." He said: "The judiciary has not done any favours towards improving safety and health in the workplace. On the contrary, fines handed down under occupational safety and health legislation are actually getting smaller."