Workplace deaths up 20% in year - HSA

The number of people killed in workplace incidents last year rose by 20 per cent over the previous 12 months, it was revealed today.

In its annual report, the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) said it was concerned by the number of deaths in the construction and agriculture sectors, quarrying and mining sectors and among non-Irish national workers.

There were 73 workplace deaths in 2005 - up 20 per cent on 2004 and the first rise since 2000.

The HSA's annual report showed 23 people were killed in construction, the highest level since 1998, and 18 died in farming. Five people were killed in quarries and the first mining fatality for many years was reported.

The number of elderly farmers dying was named as a source of concern.

Some 11 of the 73 people who died in workplace incidents were aged over 65, with eight of these in the agriculture sector. This was a persistent problem on farms, the HSA warned.

The report found that there was a disproportionate number of fatal injuries among non-Irish national workers. These workers were found to be particularly at risk in the construction sector.

Nine of the 64 worker deaths involved people from outside Ireland. This translates to a fatality rate of 5.6 per 100,000 compared with a rate of three per 100,000 Irish workers.

There were over 8,100 serious accidents reported to the authority, with 3,631 complaints investigated. These resulted in 40 prosecutions, leading to fines totalling €463,338 being imposed.

The report showed over 13,549 inspections were carried out - a 19 per cent rise on 2004.

At the launch of the report, Minister for Labour Affairs Tony Killeen insisted the newly-introduced Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act has dramatically altered health and safety legislation. He said the battle to improve safety was "being won".

"Despite all the good work done by the Authority ... we must never forget that 73 people died in Irish workplaces last year," Mr Killeen noted. "Each case made even more tragic by the fact that every accident is foreseeable and preventable."

Chief executive of the HSA Tom Beegan said there was no acceptable level of workplace fatality or injury. "The message must go out that safety, health and welfare in the workplace is the responsibility of everybody - employers, employees, all stakeholders."

This afternoon Ruairi Quinn of the Labour Party said the HSA figures show that it is time to legislate for a new crime of Corporate Manslaughter.

"The fact that the report has identified a disproportionate number of deaths of foreign workers, particularly in the construction sector, is even more disturbing still" Mr Quinn said.

"One avoidable death is one too many, and if a few employers will not take the safety and wellbeing of their employees seriously, then the Government must take action to force them to do so" he added.