Massive increase in work related illnesses in Ireland

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Massive increase in work related illnesses in Ireland

SIPTU is calling on the Minister for Labour Affairs, Tony Killeen TD to take action to reverse the escalating numbers of employees suffering from work related illnesses, according to SIPTU’s Health and Safety Advisor, Sylvester Cronin.

“Figures from the Central Statistics Office for the first quarter of 2005 show that almost 60,000 workers suffered work -related illnesses,” said Mr. Cronin.

“This is a massive increase of 29% over the same period for 2004. Even if we allow for the increase in employment for the same period - from 1,835,900 in 2004 to 1,908,300 in 2005 - the net rate of increase is still 24%.

“The increase is even more dramatic if we compare the eight-year period from 1998 to 2005. Over that period the number of workers suffering work-related illnesses rose by 129% - from 26,100 in 1998 to 59,800 in 2005 -even though the working population increased by only 28% - from 1,494,500 to 1,908,300.

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“Such drastic increases are completely unacceptable It appears that trade unions - particularly SIPTU – are the only organisations demanding action to reverse this trend. The silence from employers and government has been deafening.

“A number of critical questions must now be asked. For example, how many of the workers suffering work-related illnesses go on to develop debilitating conditions or are forced to retire early from work or die prematurely from work-related illnesses and diseases?

“One glaring omission from the CSO’s latest National Quarterly Household Survey is the total number of workdays lost in the first quarter due to work-related injuries, illnesses and diseases. The figures published for 2004 show around 1.4 million workdays were lost - which is 67 times more than the number of workdays lost due to strikes - 20,784.

“There is also a real cause for concern at the increase in the number of workers getting killed at work. CSO figures reveal an increase of 46% for 2005 (73 killed) compared with 2004 (50 killed).

“We demand to know what initiatives the Government is taking to ensure that employers are conforming with their statutory duties to protect employees at work. It seems employers can ignore their duties of care with virtual impunity.

www.siptu.ie/HeadlineNews/Name,3989,en.html