Data released on January 5, 2024 by the HSA revealed that 43 individuals lost their lives due to work-related incidents in 2023.

The latest HSA statistics highlight a persistent trend of high fatalities in the farming and construction sectors, with 16 and 11 deaths respectively. Together, these two sectors account for over two-thirds of all workplace fatalities last year.

These tragic incidents are largely attributed to high-risk activities, such as working with vehicles and falls from heights.

Key Statistics from the HSA Report:

• Over the past decade (2014-2023), the rate of work-related fatalities per 100,000 workers in Ireland has declined, from 2.8 in 2014 to 1.6 in 2023.
• Fatalities affected workers of all age groups, but those aged 55 and over were most at risk, with 22 deaths in 2023, up from 10 in 2022.
• Self-employed individuals represented 53% of the fatalities in 2023.
• The agriculture, forestry, and fishing sectors saw 20 fatalities, with 16 of these occurring in farming alone.
• The construction industry reported the second-highest number of work-related deaths, with 11 fatalities in 2023.
• The leading causes of these deaths were incidents involving vehicles (13 fatalities) and falls from height (11 fatalities).
• Of the 43 fatalities in 2023, 39 were male and 4 were female.
• Geographically, Co. Cork recorded the highest number of fatalities (7), followed by Co. Dublin and Co. Kerry, each with 5 fatalities.

Health and Safety in the workplace is of cardinal importance and all employers, including the self-employed, are required to have Health and Safety protocols and documentation in place. The safety statement must relate to the specific workplace and work activities and must be based on the risk assessment of the hazards that may affect the employees or clients of/visitors to the Company.

It is vitally important to know who to call on behalf of your employees in the unfortunate event of an emergency or accident occurring in the workplace.

Credit: https://www.hsa.ie/