- Risk assessment support and documentation services
- E-learning or face-to-face training on topics like fire safety, asbestos awareness and occupational health
- 24/7, year-round phone support
Fewer people than ever before suffer death or serious injury while at work. But fatal accidents still happen, as figures released by the Health and Safety Authority reveal.
For the eighth year running, the agricultural sector registered the highest number of workplace deaths in Ireland, with 24 out of 47 total fatalities. This is a relatively high number compared to other fields – there were six deaths apiece in the construction and transport industries.
Elderly farmers are most at risk – 14 male farmers over the age of 65 were killed. The most common cause of death was accidents involving vehicles, prompting HSA chief executive Martin O’Halloran to say workers needed to take more care when working with tractors and farm machinery.
Agricultural work is also dangerous for young farmers. One tragic case was that of Martin Kehoe Jr, a 33-year-old father of three who died last year when he fell into a vat of molasses on the family farm in Foulksmills, County Wexford.
While you can never eliminate the risk of accidents happening at work, you can do a lot to reduce it. Here are three simple steps to create a safer working environment.
Step 1: Identify the hazards
A hazard is anything that could cause physical harm, like the release of steam, or an object falling from a great height. Make sure you’re always on the look-out for potential dangers and tell your employees to report problems as soon as they spot them. It’s also important to consider who may be at risk from a specific hazard, e.g. members of staff, cleaners, customers, etc.
Step 2: Assess the risk
Decide how likely the hazard is to cause harm and how severe the impact would be. You can then determine whether your current safety measures are enough, or if you need to put in place new measures to deal with the risk.
Step 3: Implement safety measures
If you can’t eliminate a hazard, the law requires you to take steps to minimise its impact. Some examples include informing people of the risk, providing additional training, and installing guards on machinery. As a last resort, you must provide protective equipment to all employees working near the hazard.
Make your workplace safer with Peninsula
Getting your health & safety in order can seem like a daunting task. That’s why we offer various services to help bring your business in line with the latest regulations:
