The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) has overall responsibility for the administration and enforcement of health and safety at work in Ireland.
They monitor compliance with legislation at the workplace and can take enforcement action (up to and including prosecutions). They are the national centre for information and advice to employers, employees and self-employed on all aspects of workplace health and safety.
The HSA also promotes education, training and research in the field of health and safety.
The Authority was established in 1989 under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 1989 and reports to the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. The Authority has a number of major roles. They are:
- The national statutory body with responsibility for ensuring that approximately 1.8 million workers (employed and self-employed) and those affected by work activity are protected from work related injury and ill-health. They do this 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.
- The lead National Competent Authority for a number of chemicals regulations including REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restrictionof Chemicals) Regulation and Seveso II Directive. Their 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.
- A key agency involved in market surveillance and ensuring the safety of products used in workplaces and consumer applications. They have 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.
Their Strategic Priorities are to:
- Health: Increase the focus on work-related health risks.
- Safety: Maintain and develop the advances achieved in the management of work-related safety risks.
- Chemicals: Focus on the risks to human safety and health arising from chemicals used at work and by the general public.
- Accreditation: Provide an impartial, internationally recognised accreditation service, responsive to market demands through the Irish National Accreditation Board.
- How they work: Continue to change and transform the way they work
