Seán Ryan (Dublin North, Labour)
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Question 110: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of deaths and injuries reported arising from industrial accidents in each year from 2000 to 2004 and to date; the further steps he intends to take to reduce the level of such accidents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18030/05]

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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The rate of deaths and injuries in Irish workplaces is unacceptable. Since the beginning of 2000 to 25 May 2005, 338 people lost their lives in workplace accidents. Approximately 47,000 people also had workplace accidents resulting in occupational injury benefit claims for the years 2000 to 2003, inclusive.

Overall trends in workplace accidents are best described by reference to the data from the occupational injury benefit claims published by Department of Social and Family Affairs, as the criteria for this benefit has remained the same over the years. Figures for 2004 and for 2005 to date are not yet available from the Department of Social and Family Affairs. However, the Health and Safety Authority also uses other sources like the quarterly national household survey conducted by the Central Statistics Office and direct reporting to the authority itself to estimate the total injuries figure. For example, the estimate of injuries for 2003 as calculated by the authority is 20,900.

Regrettably, the sectors of construction and agriculture account for double digit numbers and this is a cause for real concern in view of the resources which have been devoted to prevention in these sectors. While any death or injury at work is a cause for extreme concern, the workplace fatality rate has fallen significantly since 1998 when 70 people died in the workplace. The rate of injury has also fallen as indicated in the following tables. This reduction in deaths and injuries should be seen against the background of an increase in the workforce of almost a quarter of a million workers since 1998.

Internationally, rapid increases in the workforce usually lead to an increase in the fatal and non-fatal injury rate due to the introduction of inexperienced workers into the workplace. Thankfully, Ireland has been able to avoid such an increase.

For the future I hope that the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Bill, which I expect will be enacted by the Oireachtas shortly, will give a new emphasis to the drive for a safer workplace. The Bill contains powers to introduce on-the-spot fines, testing for intoxicants, heavier fines and generally gives greater powers of enforcement to inspectors of the Health and Safety Authority.