Annual Report of Protected Disclosures 2025

1.1 Legislative Context

Under the Protected Disclosures Act 2014, the Chief Executive Officer of the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) is prescribed as a recipient of protected disclosures in respect of matters relating to legislation enforced by the Authority. Relevant workers, as defined by the Act, may also make internal protected disclosures to the HSA.
Section 22 of the Act requires each public body to publish an annual report setting out the number of protected disclosures received during the preceding year and the actions taken in response. Information must be presented in a manner that does not identify, or enable the identification of, disclosers.

1.2 Protected Disclosures Received in 2025

During the period 1 January to 31 December 2025, the Chief Executive Officer of the HSA, acting in their capacity as a prescribed person, received 96 reports of alleged wrongdoing relating to third parties. All disclosures were submitted by parties external to the HSA.

Of these disclosures:

• 33 reports were made directly to the HSA; and
• 63 reports were transmitted from another prescribed person or from the Office of the Protected Disclosures Commissioner (OPDC).

No internal protected disclosures were received during the reporting period.

1.3 Assessment and Action Taken

Of the 96 reports received in 2025, 51 disclosures were assessed as being protected disclosures within the HSA’s remit that warranted further follow‑up.

As a result:

• 19 disclosures were referred to HSA Inspectors for investigation;
• 32 disclosures resulted in unannounced workplace inspections where general health, safety or wellbeing concerns were identified.

By 31 December 2025, 84 disclosure reports had been assessed and follow-up concluded. A further 12 disclosure reports remained open and were either under investigation or subject to ongoing assessment.

1.4 Summary of Protected Disclosures Activity

Table 1: Reports of Wrongdoing Received in 2025 under the Protected Disclosures Act 2014

1.5 Enforcement Outcomes

Investigations and proceedings initiated by the HSA because of protected disclosures received and concluded during 2025 resulted in the following outcomes being issued to duty-holders, comprising:

• 16 Reports of Inspection; and
• 2 Improvement Notices.

In addition to the investigations opened, unannounced inspections were conducted at 32 workplaces where protected disclosure reports raised general health, safety, or wellbeing concerns.

1.6 Legacy Investigations

• During 2025, 7 investigations which had been opened in respect of protected disclosures received in 2024 or earlier years, and which remained ongoing at 31 December 2024, were concluded.

Reports from previous years

• Protected Disclosure Annual Report 2024
• Protected Disclosure Annual Report 2023
• Protected Disclosure Annual Report 2022
• Protected Disclosure Annual Report 2020