Health and Safety Authority records lowest ever workplace fatalities
Published: 11 March 2010
In January 2009, Ireland’s Health and Safety Authority (Údaráis Sláinte agus Sábháilteachta, HSA [1]) issued a new report indicating that 43 people were killed in workplace accidents in 2009. This is the lowest figure documented since modern records covering all workplaces began in 1991. This system was put in place following the extension of health and safety [2] legislation to cover all workplaces. The extension was provided for through the enactment of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 1989, which was subsequently updated by the Act of 2005 (875Kb PDF) [3].[1] http://www.hsa.ie/[2] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/industrial-relations-dictionary/health-and-safety[3] http://www.hsa.ie/eng/Legislation/Acts/Safety_Health_and_Welfare_at_Work/SI_No_10_of_2005.pdf
A new report from Ireland’s Health and Safety Authority (HSA), published in January 2010, shows that 43 people were killed in workplace accidents in Ireland in 2009. This is the lowest figure since records began in 1991, when 73 people were killed. Further comparisons show that while the Irish figures may not be as good as the European average, they are within close range and are undoubtedly a significant improvement on fatality rates in the early to mid 1990s.
In January 2009, Ireland’s Health and Safety Authority (Údaráis Sláinte agus Sábháilteachta, HSA) issued a new report indicating that 43 people were killed in workplace accidents in 2009. This is the lowest figure documented since modern records covering all workplaces began in 1991. This system was put in place following the extension of health and safety legislation to cover all workplaces. The extension was provided for through the enactment of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 1989, which was subsequently updated by the Act of 2005 (875Kb PDF).
Fatalities in the workplace
In 1991, some 73 people were killed in workplace accidents out of a total 1,155,900 persons in employment. This compares with 43 people deaths through workplace accidents in 2009, when –notwithstanding the downturn in the economy – 1,922,400 people were in employment during the four months of July to September. Comparing the death rate per 100,000 workers, this rate stood at 6.31 in 1991, declining to 2.23 per 100,000 workers in employment in 2009.
While the Minister for Labour Affairs, Dara Calleary, welcomed the figures as a positive trend, he expressed some reservations. Minister Calleary emphasised that there is no room for complacency, but that the reduction in workplace fatalities is nevertheless encouraging. He added that credit is due to the HSA, employers and employee representatives who continue to work collaboratively for better workplace safety.
Agriculture and construction most dangerous sectors
The most dangerous economic sectors continue to be agriculture, where 11 people were killed in 2009, and construction, where 10 were killed (see table below). The next most dangerous sector is transport and storage, which recorded six deaths in 2009. A further two people were killed in each of the following sectors: fishing, quarrying, public administration and education. One person was killed in each of the following sectors: forestry, manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, hotels and restaurants, professional and technical activities, business activities, health and social work, and other service activities. The table below summarises the number of workplace fatalities according to sector in 2008 and 2009, taking account of the numbers employed in each sector.
| Sector | No. of persons employed 2008 | No. of fatalities 2008 | No. of persons employed 2009 | No. of fatalities 2009 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture | 114,800 | 21 | 97,200 | 11 |
| Construction | 241,400 | 15 | 155,400 | 10 |
| Transport and storage | 92,900 | 3 | 94,600 | 6 |
| Wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and personal goods | 307,300 | 3 | 277,700 | 2 |
| Education | 146,300 | 0 | 150,400 | 2 |
| Public administration and defence | 102,700 | 1 | 107,700 | 2 |
| Hotels and restaurants | 125,400 | 0 | 119,800 | 1 |
| Professional, scientific and technical activities | 116,600 | 1 | 102,600 | 1 |
| Business activities | 76,300 | 0 | 65,900 | 1 |
| Health and social work | 220,800 | 0 | 227,800 | 1 |
Source: HSA, 2009
Drop in fatalities not solely due to recession
According to the specialist magazine Health and Safety Review, in the context of a discussion on the reduction in workplace fatality figures at a time of economic recession, two indicators of economic activity should be considered. The first is the fall in employment and the second is the decline in economic activity. In a recent report, the Central Statistics Office (Príomh-Oifig Staidrimh, CSO) estimated the decline in employment to be at 8.8% between 2008 and 2009. Meanwhile, the Economic and Social Research Institute (ERSI) in its Winter Bulletin stated that economic activity, measured by gross domestic product (GDP), had declined by 7.25% between 2008 and 2009. Workplace fatalities decreased by 24% during this period. However, Health and Safety Review contends that no matter what gauge the fatal accident figures for 2009 are measured against, the fall cannot be attributed solely – or even mainly it can be argued – to the decline in the economy.
European comparison
As well as discussing the reduction in fatalities in relation to the economic downturn, another issue is how Ireland compares with Britain and Europe. A report on the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) website gives the European and British figures for 2006, which the HSE states is the most recent year for which figures are available across the EU. Accordingly, there were 3,715 work-related fatalities throughout the EU in 2006, 1,246 of which were road traffic and transport accidents. Excluding road traffic and transport accidents, in order to highlight non-transport related accidents, there were 2,469 work-related fatalities in 2006, which gives a rate of 2.5 per 100,000 workers in employment. In Britain, the rate was 1.3 per 100,000 workers in employment. A provisional figure for 2007 on the Eurostat website puts the EU fatality rate for that year at 2.0 per 100,000 workers in employment. Thus, while the Irish figures may not be quite as good as the European average, they are within close range and are undoubtedly a significant improvement on fatality rates in the early to mid 1990s.
Tony Dobbins, NUI Galway
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