Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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461. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of inspection requests relating to Covid-19 received by the Health and Safety Authority since 12 March 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8021/20]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Health and Safety Authority’s Workplace Contact Unit (WCU) is a helpdesk resource for employers, employees and members of the public. Since the beginning of March 2020, the WCU has dealt with a wide variety of queries and complaints, with a vast number of these pertaining to the application of public health measures in specific workplaces. The nature of these queries has evolved in recent weeks in tandem with new or additional public health measures announced by the Government to delay the spread of COVID-19.

In the period requested, from 12 March 2020 to date, 2,867 contacts were received by the WCU specifically in relation to COVID-19. The Health and Safety Authority does not categorise contacts by ‘inspection request’ however, it is worth noting that the 2,867 contacts received represented 2,512 Requests for Information (RFI) and 355 complaints.

Each complaint received by the HSA is initially followed up with the relevant company or employer by the Workplace Contact Unit. If there is no response, or the response is not satisfactory or in the event of receipt of multiple or serious allegations at any one time, an inspector will follow up with the employer. The inspector may then decide that a pre-arranged or unannounced inspection is warranted.

I can assure the Deputy that complaints received by the Health and Safety Authority have been followed up and addressed with the employer.

Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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462. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of inspections carried out by the Health and Safety Authority on foot of Covid-19 complaints, inspection requests or other similar correspondence since 12 March 2020. [8022/20]

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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466. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if the number of workplace inspections that have taken place by the Health and Safety Authority since the Covid-19 emergency emerged in March 2020 to ensure worker protection from the virus. [8075/20]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 462 and 466 together.

The Health and Safety Authority is the lead Agency in relation to oversight and compliance with the national Return to Work Safely Protocol. It will ensure compliance with the Protocol through a range of measures including advice, guidance, inspection and enforcement action as appropriate and as provided for in the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005.

Given the timeline, the number and nature of the complaints received by the HSA mirrors the changing NPHET and Government advice regarding businesses being open in this time period and a number of these complaints involved companies who had already closed. For the period requested, from 12 March to date, the Authority has received 355 complaints specifically in relation to COVID-19. Of the 355 complaints received to date in relation to COVID-19, 252 have been fully dealt with and closed and the rest are still open.

Furthermore, on 18 May 2020, in line with Phase 1 of the Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business, the Authority launched a national programme of inspections. Authority inspectors were on the ground from that date enforcing compliance with the national Return To Work Safely Protocol. Over 500 onsite inspections have been undertaken by the Authority (as of Friday 22nd May) across a range of industry sectors. Details of the most recent of these inspections may not yet have been recorded on the Authority’s system, and this may impact (i.e. reduce) the number of open complaints referenced above.

Each complaint received by the HSA is initially followed up with the relevant company or employer by the Workplace Contact Unit. If there is no response, or the response is not satisfactory or in the event of receipt of multiple or serious allegations at any one time, an inspector will follow up with the employer. The inspector may then decide that a pre-arranged or unannounced inspection is warranted.

I can assure the Deputy that complaints received by the Health and Safety Authority have been followed up and addressed with the employer.

Any worker, employer or other stakeholder can submit a query or a complaint to the HSA helpline, the Workplace Contact Unit (WCU). This helpline is confidential and can be contacted by phone 1890 289 389 or wcu@hsa.ie. Every contact, whether a query or a complaint, is acknowledged and receives a reference number for tracking.