Tag Archives: Health and Safety authority

PRESSURE is growing on the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) to carry out unannounced inspections of some Clare companies, who have been accused of putting workers’ health at risk by not adhering to national social distancing guidelines. Deputy Cathal Crowe has revealed that he has received about 24 complaints in recent weeks about workers in different companies who were not able to keep at least two metres apart in line with public health guidelines. The Fianna Fáil Deputy confirmed he is still contacting managers in companies asking them to take appropriate action to address employees who opted to remain anonymous because they feared for their jobs and livelihoods. Shannon Chamber chief executive, Helen Downes has expressed surprise about these complaints, as she said companies are employing all the necessary steps to ensure the health and safety of all employees is paramount during this crisis. Deputy Crowe said companies have been responsive and pledged to take the concerns of employees on …

A 68 year old man died following a farming accident in Cooraclare on Thursday morning. The man,  who was from Cooraclare, has been named locally as Paddy Clohessy. The accident occurred while loading cattle. He died at University Hospital Limerick. A post mortem is to be carried out today and the Health and Safety Authority has launched an investigation. The deceased man was helping out on a farm when the accident occurred. In 2018, 15 people died in Ireland from farm related accidents. The figure in 2017 was 25.

  A Lough Derg community has been plunged into mourning following the death of a local teenager in a farming accident. Nenagh Gardaí are investigating a fatality involving a 15 year-old from Ballina on a farm in Carrigatoher, Nenagh on Sunday at about 3.30pm. According to the Garda Press Office, the teenager was pronounced dead at the scene at the Health and Safety Authority has been notified. He has been named locally as Padraig McCormack, Ryninch, Ballina, Killaloe. The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) has confirmed it is carrying out a separate investigation into the accident, which occurred on the teenager’s uncle’s farm. Investigators from the HSA visited the scene of the accident on Monday and spoke to a number of people in relation to the incident. The HSA will be completing a report on this incident, which will not be published. This is the first farm fatality in 2018. Last year, 24 people lost their lives in farming accidents …

WORK-related accidents claimed the lives of 55 people in 2015, according to figures released by the Health and Safety Authority. This is exactly the same number of fatalities that occurred in 2014. Fatalities in agriculture were down by 40%, with 18 deaths reported compared to 30 in 2014. However, construction fatalities increased from eight in 2014 to 11 in 2015 and the fishing sector also saw an increase from one in 2014 to five in 2015. Incidents involving vehicles were the main cause of fatal accidents in the workplace, accounting for 21 of the total. Fifteen people were killed as a result of falls from height, the second most common cause of death. Two-thirds of work-related deaths (37 of 55) occurred in businesses with fewer than 10 employees, mainly in agriculture, construction and fishing. There were four child fatalities in 2015, all of which occurred in agriculture. The county with the highest number of fatalities in 2015 was Cork with …

An accident in a forest in Connolly on Wednesday night, which has left a man with serious injuries, is being investigated by the gardaí and Health and Safety Authority. Two units of the fire service from Ennis were dispatched to the scene at Tulloghboy, Connolly, following a call for assistance by the ambulance service. The man, who is in his forties, sustained crush injuries to his chest, after he became trapped against a truck. The man was freed, and brought to University Hospital Limerick, where his condition is described as critical.

Work related accidents claimed the lives of 55 people last year, representing a 17% increase on the 47 reported in 2013. Figures released by the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) show fatalities in the agriculture sector increased by 87% in 2014, with 30 people killed [two in Clare]compared to 16 in 2013. For the fifth year running this sector has recorded the highest number of fatalities, representing roughly 55% of all work related deaths last year. Reflecting on what he desccribed as “a particularly horrific year for the agriculture sector”, Martin O’Halloran, CEO of the HSA, said, “The number of fatal accidents that occurred on farms last year was the highest in over 20 years. In May of 2014 alone there were five people killed. It is particularly tragic that five children lost their lives on Irish farms last year.” According to Mr O’Halloran, last year had the highest total number of workplace fatalities since 2008. “We are concerned at …

THE  man in his fifties, killed in a tragic farm accident near Ballyea, has been named locally as Gerry O’Connell. Shortly before 10pm on Wednesday night, Gardaí and emergency services were called to the farm where Mr O’Connell had suffered fatal injuries in the incident, believed to have involved a tractor and trailer. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The area was sealed off pending the arrival this morning of the Health and Safety Authority who will commence their own investigation. The deceased man is well known in GAA circles and one of his son’s, Gearóid is a member of the Clare U-21 hurling team that faces Wexford next week in the All-Ireland final in Thurles. Another son Paddy is very prominent with the Ballyea hurling and Clondegad football clubs. Pending confirmation of the funeral arrangements, it is unlikely that Clondegad’s senior football championship quarter-final game with Kilmurry Ibrickane and their junior ‘A’ championship play-off game with Lissycasey, both …

Ahead this Thursday’s HSA/Teagasc national conference on farm safety and health in Kilkenny, the ICSA has urged Clare  farmers to engage fully with the issue. “Farmers can no longer ignore this issue,” said John Flynn, a member of the ICSA’s Farm Safety Partnership Advisory Committee (FSPAC). “There are many different resources available to farmers, including DVDs, meetings and conferences like this one, and the onus is now on farmers to make use of these.” Mr Flynn also called on Teagasc to explore new ways to encourage farmers to give greater consideration to farm safety. “Older farmers particularly need more encouragement in this area, and while we acknowledge the good work being done by Teagasc, courses and materials need to be made more accessible for all farmers, such as running courses in the evenings rather than during the day,” he said.