The largest number of fatal incidents occurred in agriculture, forestry, and fishing in 2021.
29% of all work-related fatal incidents in 2021 occurred in the agriculture and forestry sectors.
The Health and Safety Authority has published its Annual Review of Workplace Injuries, Illnesses and Fatalities 2020-2021, as European Week for Safety, Health and Work commences.
Overall, 38 fatalities were reported in 2021 – the lowest number recorded since the foundation of the HSA in 1989.
The most common causes leading to deaths in workplace settings were the loss of control of a vehicle or its attachments (11) and falling from a height (11), which between them accounted for over half of all fatalities (58%).
Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing
The largest number of fatal incidents occurred in agriculture, forestry, and fishing in 2021.
The HSA said there were 11 fatalities that occurred in agriculture (nine) and forestry (two).
Almost three in every four work-related fatal incident victims in these sectors were self-employed (eight, or 73%).
While the rate of fatal incidents in agriculture, forestry, and fishing increased during the 2010s, the lowest rate of fatal incidents occurred in 2021 (10.3 per 100,000 workers), according to figures from the HSA.
The number of fatal incidents occurring to victims aged 65 years was five in 2021.
Farming Over Represented
According to HSA chief executive Sharon McGuinness, while there has been a reduction in the number of fatalities on record overall, “our view is that all of these fatalities are foreseeable and preventable”.
“Much progress has been made but there is still a lot of work to be done,” Ms McGuinness said.
“There have been improvements, but unfortunately the farming and construction sectors are still over-represented in our fatality figures accounting for half of all work-related fatalities between them”.
“Both sectors will continue to be key priorities for us.”
(Source – Irish Examiner – Farming – Kathleen O Sullivan – 24/10/2022)