On Wednesday the 4th of January 2012 the Health and Safety Authority released figures for workplace deaths in 2011. Unfortunately the figure had increased from 48 fatalities in 2010 to 55 in 2011. This represented a 15% increase. The agriculture sector had the most fatalities, recording 22 which represented a slight reduction on the year before. The only other figures released were 8 fatalities in the Transport and Storage sector, an increase from 3 in 2010 and in the Construction sector there were 6 deaths, the same number reported in 2010.
Speaking about workplace deaths in 2011, Martin O’Halloran, CEO of the Health and Safety Authority said, “This is the second year in a row that the total number of workplace fatalities has increased. The fact is that behind these statistics there are human tragedies, lives lost and families ruined. Everyone has the right to go to work without danger to their safety or health.”
During 2012 the Authority will introduce further initiatives, awareness raising campaigns and focused inspections with the aim of achieving a sustained reduction in workplace accidents and deaths.
