The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton TD, has launched the 2011 Annual Report and Statistics Summary
of the Health and Safety Authority.
During 2011 there were 32 prosecutions for health and safety breaches with penalties including five suspended sentences and €819,700 in fines imposed.
The Authority carried out 15,340 inspections and investigations with 7% of them resulting in formal enforcement action.
Loss of control of vehicles and/or machinery was the most common cause of workplace deaths (15 in 2011).
Manual handling related injuries continue to account for approximately one third of the 6,956 non-fatal injuries reported with slips, trips and falls (17%) being the next most common.
Launching the reports, Minister Bruton said:
“The Authority has used its constrained resources in areas that need them the most and during 2011 continued to target sectors with high injury rates; however I am very concerned about the continued rise in workplace fatalities. Every workplace fatality is avoidable and represents a terrible tragedy for a family and a community. Combatting workplace fatalities represents a huge challenge for both the HSA and employers and I will continue to assist them in any way I can”.
Ref: HSA Website
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