News & Info

Research published by the HSA in January 2025 announced the significant reduction in fatal accidents in work environments throughout 2024.

Fatalities in the construction sector, decreased from 10 in 2023 to 5 in 2024, a decline of 50%. In the agriculture sector, there were 8 less fatalities, from 20 in 2023 to 12 last year.

Commenting on the reduction, Conor O’Brien, Chief Executive of the Health and Safety Authority, said,

“It is positive to see such a decline in the overall fatality figures for 2024, in particular the significant reduction in the high-risk agriculture and construction sectors. However, every work-related death is preventable. Vigilance and advance planning around health and safety at work is crucial to lowering the number of deaths further”.

Mr O Brien urged employers to plan safe work practices for 2025, including making risk assessments a core part of business. He emphasised paying particular attention to high-risk activities such as working at height, vehicle handling and working with machinery.

According to the statistics, incidents involving vehicles accounted for the highest number of work-related fatalities (10 fatalities), followed by incidents involving heavy/falling objects (6 fatalities) and falls from height (5 fatalities). In 2024, these causes were responsible for 64% of all fatalities in 2024.

Additionally, the data revealed that two-thirds of the fatalities in 2024 were among people aged 55 and above.

Solicitor Elaine Hickey, who has provided legal support to families who have lost loved ones through workplace accidents, said of the findings:

“It’s encouraging to see the number of fatal incidents in workplaces decreasing, and I hope this trend continues through 2025, because any accident where a life is lost is one too many. The accidents we see are often a result of safety procedures not being followed, so I think it’s crucial to remind all employers to ensure safety is the number one priority among their employees.”