HSA publishes its 2023 Annual Report highlighting key achievements and outcomes across its broad and varied mandate

Monday 24th June 2024

The Health and Safety Authority today, Monday 24th June, published its 2023 Annual Report highlighting key achievements and outcomes across its broad occupational safety and health, chemical safety, market surveillance and accreditation remit over the course of the year.

This is the Authority’s second Annual Report under its Strategy Statement 2022-2024 which is being delivered against a backdrop of an expanding population and growing workforce. Key highlights from the 2023 Annual Report include:

• 9,995 proactive and 463 reactive inspections completed across all economic sectors and 225 investigations completed following incident reports received.
• 83 investigations undertaken into fatal accidents, of which 43 were deemed work-related.
• Nineteen prosecutions concluded, with 15 prosecuted on indictment and four prosecuted summarily, resulting in fines totalling €1,377,500.
• 43 work-related fatalities reported, the majority of which (72%) occurred in agriculture, fishing and forestry (20 deaths) and construction (11 deaths).
• New regulations introduced, the first of their kind in the EU, making helmet wearing and training for all quad bike operators a legal requirement.
• New Health and Social Care Advisory Committee established.
• Inspection programme launched targeting renewable energy installations, including wind farms, solar farms and anaerobic digestion facilities.
• Code of Practice for Indoor Air Quality published to provide practical guidanceon managing indoor air quality in the workplace
• EU Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability conference hosted focusing on what the future may hold for EU chemicals legislation.
• 917 chemical products assessed, along with 307 industrial products, and a total of 182 non-compliant chemical products removed from the Irish market
• 13 new accreditations awarded and 384 existing accreditations renewed, supporting a wide range of businesses
• New guidance and website resources published including a new eLearning course supporting occupational safety and health while remote working.
• The ‘Know, Act, Prevent Garden’ sponsored at the Bord Bia Bloom festival to raise awareness and alert consumers to the dangers associated with everyday chemical products.
• Awareness campaign implemented focusing on psychosocial health, including work-related stress and risk assessments for exposure to sensitive content

“I would like to express my condolences to the families, friends and communities of the 43 people who lost their lives in workplace accidents in 2023,”

said Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail, Emer Higgins TD.

“Each life lost is one too many and I urge all employers and employees to prioritise health and safety and make full use of the HSA’s resources and tools. Employment in Ireland reached a record high of 74.2% in 2023. There has never been more people at work in Ireland but with more people working, we cannot become complacent. Together we can help ensure that every worker in Ireland can return home safely at the end of the day.”

While the economy prospers and employment continues to grow, the HSA records show an overall decrease in the rate of work-related fatalities per 100,000 workers in Ireland over the past ten years (2014-2023), from the rate of 2.8 in 2014 to 1.6 in 2023.

“While much progress has been made in improving workplace safety in recent years, sadly we are seeing a persistent trend over many years now in both the agriculture and construction sectors, where workers continue to lose their lives,

said Conor O’Brien, Chief Executive Officer of the HSA,

and many of these are self-employed. We’re urging all employers, but particularly the self-employed, to make health and safety a top priority as you go to work each day. As the Health and Safety Authority prepares its new 2025-2027 Strategy, I will be seeking input from our sectoral advisory committees as to how we can make a significant step change in these sectors to significantly reduce the fatality, illness and injury rates. We will continue to develop a wide range of user friendly tools and guidance to help achieve these aims”

he added.

Patricia Byron, Chairperson of the Health and Safety Authority, said,

“As we publish the 2023 Annual Report, I am pleased to confirm the Board approved the establishment of a new Health and Safety Advisory Committee in 2023 to provide a forum for stakeholders to advise and support the Authority in promoting best practice in occupational health and safety in the sector. The Health and Safety Authority is committed to driving change through collaboration and innovation. I thank our stakeholders for their steadfast support and look forward to our continued partnership in advancing workplace safety."

Click here for the English version.

Cliceáil anseo le haghaidh leagan Gaeilge.

For further information, visit www.hsa.ie or follow us on X/Twitter @TheHSA.

ENDS

Mark Cullen, Assistant Chief Executive, Health and Safety Authority is available for interview.

To arrange, please contact:

Jennifer Keegan Wilson Hartnell, on 083 482 5287 or email Jennifer.keegan@ogilvy.com 

Jillian Garvey, Wilson Hartnell, on 083 891 9583 or email Jillian.garvey@ogilvy.com

NOTES TO EDITOR

County breakdown of fatalities in Ireland 2023

About the HSA

The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) is the national state authority with responsibility for the administration and enforcement of workplace safety, health and welfare law in Ireland. Its mission is to ensure that over two million workers across all industry sectors in Ireland are protected from work related injury and ill-health.

The HSA monitors compliance with legislation at the workplace and can take enforcement action (up to and including prosecutions) where appropriate. It is the national centre for information and advice to employers, employees and the self-employed on all aspects of occupational safety and health. It also promotes education, training and research in the field of occupational safety and health.

In addition, the HSA is the lead National Competent Authority for a number of chemicals regulations including REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) Regulation and the Seveso II Directive. Its remit is to protect human health (public, consumers and workers) and the environment, to enhance competitiveness and innovation and ensure free movement of chemicals in the EU market.

The HSA was established in 1989 under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 1989 and reports to the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation.

Further information is available at our corporate website www.hsa.ie