The continuing loss of staff at the HSA will, Authority chairman Michael Horgan warns, lead to a reduction in standards and an increase in workplace injuries and costs.

In a hard-hitting foreword to the HSA Annual Report 2012, Mr Horgan also warns that the continuing loss of key staff will lead to further reductions in the Authority’s ability to support key economic sectors.

In particular, in the chemicals sector, the Authority has withdrawn from input into EU chemicals use policy and the development of nanomaterials, which is of strategic importance to the Irish economy.

Mr Horgan’s warning comes as the Authority, which reduced staff numbers by seven in 2012 to 170, has to reduce the number by a further 20 to 150 by the end of 2013. While the annual report records that the Authority met the staff reduction targets set for it by voluntary agreement, it is known that staff numbers in the Chemicals Business Services division have plummeted. The Authority’s budget grant fell from €19,968,000 in 2011 to €19,146,000 in 2012.

Against this background of falling staff numbers and financial resources, the Authority carried out 13,835 inspections last year: 2,505 fewer inspections than in 2012. Twenty prosecutions were completed in the courts, 356 prohibition notices and 508 improvement notices were issued. Seventy-one percent of workplaces had safety statements prepared: in 87% senior management were aware of their duties and 92% had consultation systems.

Forty-eight people were killed in workplace accidents in 2012 – 28 of them in the agriculture and fishing sectors. There was a 5% fall in the number of reported accidents: down to 6,619. Manual handling followed by slips/trips/falls and aggression/violence topped the list of causes of reported accidents. The most injured part of the body was the back, followed by fingers.

Source: Health & Safety Review