The key takeaway figures from the HSA's Annual Report 2019, which was published this week are:
- The Authority carried out 10,302 inspections, up from 9,830 the previous year
- Completed 21 prosecutions, compared to 15 in 2018
- Enforcement action was taken in 68% of inspections/investigations.
The HSA Annual Report 2019 is structured around what the Authority describes as it four "mandates": occupational safety and health; chemicals; market surveillance; and national accreditation. The Report provides details of the Authority's inspections and enforcement actions during the year, but does not provide details of fatalities and injuries, which will be released when the Summary of Workplace Injury, Illness and Statistical Report is published.
During 2019 the Authority:
- The 1,032 investigations were completed on foot of accidents and complaints reported to the Authority
- 7,891 investigations were completed under OSH legislation and 1,379 under chemicals legislation
- Carried out 4,269 construction inspections, 1,684 agriculture inspections and 182 healthcare inspections
- Completed 21 prosecutions: ten on indictment in the Circuit Court and eleven on summary charges in the District Court. Courts imposed fines totalling €938,000
- Served 564 Prohibition, 389 Improvement Notices and issued 5,925 written advice notices
- The Workplace Contact Unit handled over 17,500 inbound calls
- 9,967 new businesses registered with the Authority's online BeSMART.ie risk assessment and safety statement tool, bringing the total number of registered users to 66,296
- A total of 32,210 online courses were taken from the courses on offer on the Authority's elearning website, www.hsalearning.ie;
- Had an audience of 14,708 on Twitter and 44,184 on Facebook.
- Represented Ireland at the European Chemicals Agency, EU-OSHA, on the European Advisory Committee on Safety and Health and on the Senior Labour Inspectors Committee and advised the Government on nine legislative proposals and four codes of practice.
The report makes clear the Authority's approach to inspections. The approach is risk based with a focus on three high risk sectors: agriculture, construction and healthcare.
The report shows how the HSA's role has expanded over the past 30 years. Now the Authority has what it describes as four mandates: occupational health and safety; chemicals; accreditation; and market surveillance. During the year, the Authority advised the Government on issues relating to Brexit under its chemical and accreditation mandates.
To download a copy of the report click on https://www.hsa.ie/eng/publications_and_forms/publications/corporate/hsa-annual-report-2019.pdf
