5 days ago
HSA: 1,480 agriculture, forestry and fishing inspections in 2024
The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) carried out 1,480 workplace inspections across the agriculture, forestry and fishing sectors last year according to its latest annual report.
Overall the HSA conducted 11,667 workplace inspections and investigations across all economic sectors in 2024, with a "particular focus on high-risk areas" including construction, agriculture, manufacturing and healthcare.
Although the latest annual report highlights that "there was a welcome decline in the number of reported workplace fatalities", the authority also said that every fatality was a preventable tragedy.
Patricia Byron, chair of the HSA said: 'We acknowledge with deep regret the 34 lives lost in Irish workplaces in 2024.
"Every life lost is a stark reminder of why we must continue to invest in prevention, education and enforcement.
"The HSA remains steadfast in its commitment to working with all stakeholders to prevent future tragedies and to fostering a national culture of safety and health at work.'
It is 35 years since the HSA was first established and according to Mark Cullen, interim chief executive officer of the authority, its key objective is "ultimately about protecting lives".
"Our vision remains clear: to deliver healthy and safe working lives and contribute to productive enterprises in every part of Ireland," he added.
The 2024 annual report also shows that the HSA carried out 413 assessments of industrial products ranging across machinery, lifts, personal protective equipment (PPE) and transportable pressure equipment.
"Where products were found to be non-compliant, these were removed from the market. Four safety alerts were issued in 2024, highlighting products of serious concern.
"The HSA completed two EU joint action market surveillance projects on circular saws and scissor lifts, with appropriate follow-up undertaken where products were found to be non-compliant," the authority added.
Last year the authority also ran a number of awareness-raising campaigns specifically focused around agriculture, including a national farm safety campaign in May which focused on "the safe use of tractors and other machinery and vehicles".
Among its other campaigns in 2024 was one initiative centred around the health and wellbeing of farmers, which warned that people working in agriculture are at higher risk of certain health and wellness conditions due to the nature of their work. These include stroke and heart disease.
The HSA also ran a two-week nationwide inspection campaign in 2024 focusing on working at height in agricultural settings.
According to the authority, there have been an estimated 98 fatalities as a result of falls from height in Irish workplaces - of which 20 were on Irish farms - in the last decade.
