By Gordon Deegan
The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) carried out 1,684 inspections and 53 investigations in the agriculture sector in 2019.
Cumulative fines totalling €938,000 were imposed by the courts in response to prosecutions taken by the HSA last year across all sectors.
That is according to the 2019 annual report for the HSA.
A breakdown shows that 636 inspections were in respect of livestock handling; 716 inspections concerned tractors, machinery and quads and 208 inspections concerned ‘working at height’.
Annual report
The €938,000 in fines imposed last year was a 33% increase on the €705,972 in fines imposed in 2018.
The report records that the first custodial sentence for a breach of occupational health and safety was handed down last year.
This took place at Gorey District Court last year where a fishing skipper received a six month jail term with the final two months suspended concerning a workplace breach where a crew man lost his life when he fell overboard without a life jacket.
However, the HSA annual report records that on appeal to the circuit court, the custodial sentence was removed and the accused was ordered to pay €300 to the RNLI.
The conviction and fine following a guilty plea concerned a workplace fatality where an employee suffered personal injury and died when the company failed to ensure that the rock-crushing plant at the quarry was safe and without risk to health.
All sectors
Across all sectors last year, the HSA carried out 9,270 inspections and completed 1,032 inspections.
The annual report states that enforcement action took place in 68% of cases where investigations and enforcement were carried out.
The salary for the Chief Executive officer (CEO) Sharon McGuinness totalled €140,973.
She was one of eight staff members to earn over €100,000 last year and the numbers employed at the HSA totalled 181.