43 PEOPLE DIED IN WORK PLACE ACCIDENTS LAST YEAR

HSA publishes its 2023 Annual Report highlighting key achievements and outcomes across its broad and varied mandate

:�The Health and Safety Authority today, Monday 24^th�June, published its 2023 Annual Report�highlighting key achievements and outcomes across its broad occupational safety and health, chemical safety, market surveillance and accreditation remit over the course of the year.

This is the Authority�s second Annual Report under its Strategy Statement 2022-2024 which is being delivered against a backdrop of an expanding population and growing workforce. Key highlights from the 2023 Annual Report include:

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• 9,995 proactive and 463 reactive inspections completed across all economic sectors and 225 investigations completed following incident reports received.
• 83 investigations undertaken into fatal accidents, of which 43 were deemed work-related.
• Nineteen prosecutions concluded, with 15 prosecuted on indictment and four prosecuted summarily, resulting in fines totalling �1,377,500.
• 43 work-related fatalities reported,�the majority of which (72%) occurred in agriculture (20 deaths) and construction (11 deaths).
• New regulations introduced, the first of their kind in the EU, making helmet wearing and training for all quad bike operators a legal requirement.
• New Health and Social Care Advisory Committee established.
• Inspection programme launched targeting renewable energy installations, including wind farms, solar farms and anaerobic digestion facilities.
• Code of Practice for Indoor Air Quality published to provide practical guidanceon managing indoor air quality in the workplace
• EU Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability conference hosted focusing on what the future may hold for EU chemicals legislation.
• 917 chemical products assessed, along with 307 industrial products, and a total of 182 non-compliant chemical products removed from the Irish market
• 13 new accreditations awarded and 384 existing accreditations renewed, supporting a wide range of businesses
• New guidance and website resources published including a new eLearning course supporting occupational safety and health while remote working.
• The �Know, Act, Prevent Garden� sponsored at the Bord Bia Bloom festival to raise awareness and alert consumers to the dangers associated with everyday chemical products.
• Awareness campaign implemented focusing on psychosocial health, including work-related stress and risk assessments for exposure to sensitive conten