People killed or seriously injured in work-related incidents honoured at memorial event

The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) has today honoured people who have been killed or seriously injured in work-related incidents.

The HSA along with the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, with support from Ibec, the Construction Industry Federation and the National Irish Safety Organisation marked Workers’ Memorial Day with a national commemorative event in Dublin on Friday.

Workers’ Memorial Day is an international day of remembrance for those who have been killed or seriously injured in work-related incidents.

In this quarter alone, five people have died due to a work-related incident. A total of 461 people have been killed in the last 10 years.

Those in attendance at the ceremony at the Garden of Remembrance in Dublin included Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail Neale Richmond, ICTU General Secretary Owen Reidy, Interim CEO of the Health and Safety Authority Mark Cullen, and senior figures from Ibec, the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, the Construction Industry Federation, NISO, as well as many other trade unions.

It comes following two separate incidents at two Cork Stryker plants in recent weeks.

On April 18, a HSA investigation was launched after two people, one of whom was seriously injured, were hospitalised following a workplace incident at Stryker’s Anngrove facility.

Seven days later, a separate investigation was launched following an incident at the company’s Tullagreen facility.

At Friday’s ceremony, Interim CEO of the HSA Mark Cullen announced in his speech the Health and Safety Authority has recently set up a new Occupational Health Division, with a significant increase in resources, to help prevent workplace injuries and illnesses.

“As Ireland’s labour force is aging, we must all look to our workplace practices, and ensure that health and safety are being prioritised across all workforce age groups,” he said.

“We’re urging employers and their workers this Workers’ Memorial Day to think about the task you’re asking others to carry out, or that you are about to undertake. 

Complete a risk assessment and make sure the right precautions are in place and nobody is putting themselves or others in danger.

Minister of State for Business, Employment Affairs, and Retail Business, Neale Richmond said: “Last year we saw the lowest number of work-related deaths since records first began over 30 years ago, though 27 people sadly lost their lives.

“While this is a reduction from 38 deaths in 2021, even one death in the workplace is one too many. It is incumbent on all employers and employees to make health and safety a top priority in their organisation.

“There can be no complacency when it comes to preventing work-related deaths, injuries, or illnesses.” Latest statistics show that in Q1 of 2023, there were 2,162 reported work-related injuries or illnesses, reflecting a 2.95% increase compared to 2,100 for the same period in 2022.

The highest number of work-related injuries and illnesses, so far in 2023, were reported in counties Dublin (763), Cork (237) and Kildare (109).

The sectors with the highest number of reported injuries and illnesses in 2022 included human health and social work, manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles and construction.

Later this year, the HSA will be launching the third edition of the Safety Representatives Resource Book.

The updated version is specifically designed as a comprehensive resource manual for safety representatives, with the aim of being a valuable reference for employers, occupational health and safety advisors, employees, and the self-employed alike.