Over 10,000 HSA Inspection And Investigations Carried Out In 2016

The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) carried out more than 10,000 inspections and investigations in 2016, with almost 6,500 inspections in high-risk farming, construction and the fishing sectors.

The numbers were revealed in the HSA's 2016 Annual Report, which outlines major activities, achievements and outcomes over the course of the year.

Key highlights include:

• 10,477 inspections and investigations undertaken

• 6,497 inspections carried out in the high-risk farming, construction and fishing sectors

• Written advice provided in over 4,301 inspections

• 369 improvement notices and 413 prohibition notices issued

• 17 prosecutions taken leading to fines of €614,000

• 779 market surveillance checks of chemical products on the Irish market

• Over 8,000 new users of the Authority's BeSMART tool for small business managers

• Over 13,000 courses taken on our e-learning portal

• Participation of over 26,000 students on the ‘Choose Safety' programme

• Publication of 27 new guideline documents

• Implementation of major awareness raising campaigns aimed at general workers, new workers, construction workers and farmers

• Approximately 20,000 contacts to our customer call centre

Welcoming the reports publication, the Minister for Trade, Employment, Business, EU Digital Single Market and Data Protection, Pat Breen, said: "I welcome the progress made by the Health and Safety Authority in the pursuit of its goal of making workplace safety, health and welfare an integral part of doing business in modern Ireland.

"Tragically, 46 people were killed in work related activities in 2016. Although this is a welcome decline of almost 20% on the 2015 figure, there is clearly still much to be done. I urge all employers, large and small, to ensure that the safety and health of their employees, and anyone affected by their work activity, is at the core of their business pursuits. Anything less is unacceptable."

Martin O'Halloran, Chief Executive of the Health and Safety Authority added: "Last year was a successful year for the Authority although there are certain industry sectors, for example farming, that remain an area of concern. As well as undertaking a wide range of enforcement activity across a variety of industry sectors, we also continued to focus on our prevention activity with the development of several important educational and awareness raising initiatives. It is this combination of prevention and enforcement activities that I believe will deliver the best outcomes".

Tom Coughlan, Chairman of the Health and Safety Authority also said: "The remit of the HSA is exceptionally broad and includes an important role in relation to the risks to people arising from chemicals used at work and at home. We continued a take a lead role nationally on chemicals and their health impacts, both in relation to workers and consumers. Over 1,200 inspections under chemicals legislation were undertaken with a view to providing advice and support and, where appropriate, to take enforcement action."

(MH/CD)