Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 68: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of workplace accidents and workplace deaths recorded in each year from 2002 to 2008 and to date in 2009; her proposals to ensure a reduction in the number of such accidents and deaths; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27446/09]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The Health and Safety Authority is responsible for the administration and enforcement of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 and associated statutory provisions.

There have been 18 workplace deaths reported to the Authority to date in 2009 (as at 02.07.09). The numbers of workplace deaths reported to the Authority for the years 2002-2008 are as follows: 57 in 2008; 67 in 2007; 51 in 2006; 74 in 2005; 50 in 2004; 68 in 2003 and 61 in 2002.

Non-fatal accidents, resulting in an absence of more than three days from normal work following the accident, are required to be reported to the Authority.

There have been 3,147 non-fatal work related accidents reported to the Authority to date in 2009 (as at 02.07.09). There were 6,998 in 2008, 7,816 in 2007, 7,844 in 2006, 8,104 in 2005, 8,453 in 2004, 6,622 in 2003, and 7,746 in 2002.

While the reduction in workplace fatalities since 2007 is welcome, we still had 57 fatalities and thousands of workplace injuries in 2008, many of them preventable. We cannot afford to relax our vigilance in this area. In these times when we are tempted to look at costs, we have to continually emphasise the message that keeping people safe and healthy at work and saving money are not mutually exclusive concepts.

The Health and Safety Authority's 2009 Programme of Work, which was launched in February last, sets out a comprehensive range of activities to make workplaces safer and it contains a good balance between prevention, advice and enforcement.

This year the Authority is again focussing on the high-risk sectors of agriculture and construction, which have seen the highest proportions of fatalities in the last four years – in 2008, 21 fatalities occurred in Agriculture and 15 in Construction.

Day to day responsibility for workplace safety rests with those in the workplace - employers and employees and safe workplaces can ultimately only be delivered by those who control and work in them.

The Health and Safety Authority publishes guidelines, codes of practice and other advice on safety on a regular basis as well as organising sectoral seminars or conferences to promote the occupational safety and health message, as part of its advocacy role. These activities, together with the information on the Authority's website, are of critical importance to all those in the workplace if Ireland's safety record is to be improved.