The Irish Congress of Trade Unions and the Health and Safety Authority are calling on more organisations to appoint safety representatives within their workplaces to prevent workplace injuries, illnesses and deaths.
The appeal comes on Workers’ Memorial Day, a day dedicated to remembering workers who have lost their lives, been injured or contracted illnesses at or because of work.
A special national commemorative ceremony is being held at the Garden of Remembrance in Dublin this morning to remember all people who died in work-related incidents in Ireland, including 43 last year, one of which was in Donegal.
Agriculture, forestry and fishing accounted for 20 fatalities in 2023, while the construction sector accounted for the second highest fatalities, with 11 reported in 2023.
So far this year, 9 people have lost their lives in workplace incidents. Working with vehicles (13 fatalities) and falling from height (11 fatalities) were the leading causes of work-related fatalities in 2023.
A total of 459 people have lost their lives in work-related incidents in Ireland over the past decade (2014–2023). Despite the numbers in employment increasing, the Health and Safety Authority records show an overall decrease in the rate of workplace fatalities per 100,000 workers in Ireland over this period, from a rate of 2.8 in 2014 to 1.6 in 2023.
“One death is one too many,” said Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail, Emer Higgins TD. “Every workplace should prioritise the health and safety of its employee and do all in its power to prevent workplace injuries, illnesses and deaths. Positive worker engagement and consultation with trade unions, including the selection of Safety Representatives, is a tangible way towards engraining a safer working environment, where employees feel valued, protected and empowered to speak up about safety concerns. By embracing the Safety Representative model, organisations demonstrate their commitment to prioritising the well-being of employees and promote a culture of safety excellence” she added.