Health and Safety is important because it protects the well being of employees, visitors and customers. Looking after Health and Safety makes good business sense. Workplaces which neglect health and safety risk prosecution, may lose staff, and may increase costs and reduce profitability.
If you are an employer, the way you approach health and safety training speaks volumes about your business, your values and your professionalism.
If you are an employee, health and safety training will not just help you to learn of how to address, manage and deal with workplace risks, but you will also expand your personal and career development.
No matter how small or large a company is, workers in all fields of industry face workplace dangers that can threaten their health and safety. In some industries, such as in the construction and agriculture, the dangers can be evident: falls from height, crush injuries, exposure to harmful chemicals, fires, breakdown of machinery are just some of the health risks that workers in these fields face every single working day.
For other fields of business, however, the dangers may not be as obvious: working in an office or a restaurant may seem harmless, but poor ergonomics, food contamination and psychological stress can also cause health problems that can hamper productivity. Because hazards are present in all types of industries, it is essential for companies to provide health and safety training for their workers and to update this knowledge on a regular basis.
This page contains a number of useful links below to the websites of some key Health and Safety organisations in Republic of Ireland and other relevant stakeholders that you might find useful.
If you cannot find what you need, please feel welcome to contact us!
The Health and Safety Authority (HSA)
The Authority was established in 1989 under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 1989 and reports to the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation. The Authority has a number of major roles.
The Health and Safety Authority is:
1. The national statutory body with responsibility for ensuring that over 2 million workers (employed and self-employed) and those affected by work activity are protected from work related injury and ill-health. This is achieved by enforcing occupational health and safety law, promoting accident prevention, and providing information and advice across all sectors, including retail, healthcare, manufacturing, fishing, entertainment, mining, construction, agriculture and food services.
2. The lead National Competent Authority for a number of chemicals regulations including REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) Regulation and Seveso II Directive. HSA's responsibility in this area is to protect human health (general public, consumers and workers) and the environment, to enhance competitiveness and innovation and ensure free movement of chemicals in the EU market.
3. A key agency involved in market surveillance and ensuring the safety of products used in workplaces and consumer applications. HSA has a remit to protect 4.5 million citizens from unsafe products and articles and to enable the international movement and trade of goods manufactured in Ireland.
The Health and Safety Authority strategic priorities are to:
- Regulate: Increase focus on compliance through risk based inspection and enforcement.
- Promote: Support, educate and raise awareness to prevent accidents, injuries and ill health.
- Accredit: Grow the national accreditation service to enable and support enterprises and public services.
- Influence: Partner and collaborate in support of healthy, safe and productive lives and enterprises.
- How HSA Work: Improve the way HSA work through people, processes and technology.
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI)
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) was established under the Food Safety Authority of Ireland Act, 1998. This Act was enacted in July 1998 and came into effect on 1st January 1999.
The principal function of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland is to protect consumers and raise compliance through partnership, science and food law enforcement.
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland is a statutory, independent and science-based body, dedicated to protecting public health and consumer interests in the area of food safety and hygiene. The come under the aegis of the Minister for Health and currently have a Board of ten. They also have a 15 member Scientific Committee that assists and advises the Board. Therefore, decisions relating to food safety and hygiene take account of the latest and best scientific advice and information available.
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland has national responsibility for co-ordinating the enforcement of food safety legislation in Ireland. The FSAI is responsible for:
- Enforcement and Compliance.
- Science, Expertise and Evidence.
- Engagement and Communication.
- Organisational Excellence.
The Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council (PHECC)
PHECC is the regulator for emergency medical services (EMS) in Ireland and their role is to protect the public. PHECC is an independent statutory agency with responsibility for standards, education and training in the field of pre-hospital emergency care. PHECC also maintain a statutory register of EMS practitioners.
Pre-hospital emergency care is any clinical care or intervention that an acutely ill or injured person receives from trained personnel in the Pre-Hospital environment. This immediate care can make a huge difference to someone’s mortality or morbidity.
Emergency care can be given by someone within the community such as a GP, someone who has trained as a responder, or by registered practitioners.
The Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council (PHECC) is an independent statutory body who set the standards for education and training for pre-hospital emergency care in Ireland. The Council publish clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) and recognise institutions to provide pre-hospital emergency care training and education.
In addition to maintaining a statutory register of practitioners Council approve Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Service Providers to implement CPGs.
On 1st January 2014 the Child and Family Agency became an independent legal entity, comprising HSE Children and Family Services, the Family Support Agency and the National Educational Welfare Board as well as incorporating some psychological services and a range of services responding to domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.
The Child and Family Agency is now the dedicated State agency responsible for improving wellbeing and outcomes for children. It represents the most comprehensive reform of child protection, early intervention and family support services ever undertaken in Ireland.
The Agency operates under the Child and Family Agency Act 2013, a progressive piece of legislation with children at its heart and families viewed as the foundation of a strong healthy community where children can flourish. Partnership and co-operation in the delivery of seamless services to children and families are also central to the Act.
The establishment of the Agency represents an opportunity to think differently, where appropriate to behave differently and to seek a wide range of views regarding the most effective way of working together to deliver a wide range of services for children and families. An approach which is responsive, inclusive and outward looking.
The Health Service Executive (HSE)
The Health Service Executive is responsible for the provision of health and personal social services for everyone living in Ireland, with public funds.
The Executive was established by the Health Act, 2004 and came into official operation on 1 January 2005. It replaced the ten regional Health Boards, the Eastern Regional Health Authority and a number of other different agencies and organisations. The Minister for Health retained overall responsibility for the Executive in Government. The HSE adopted a regional structure (HSE Dublin Mid-Leinster, HSE Dublin North East, HSE South and HSE West).
The HSE is a large organisation of over 100,000 people, whose job is to run all of the public health services in Ireland. The HSE manages services through a structure designed to put patients and clients at the centre of the organisation.
The HSE Code of Governance provides an overview of the principles, policies, procedures and guidelines by which the HSE directs and controls its functions and manages its business, it is intended to guide the Directorate, leadership Team and all those working within the HSE and the agencies funded by the HSE, in performing their duties to the highest standards of accountability, integrity and propriety.