Workplace Fatalities in Ireland 2025 - The Numbers and What They Mean
Author
Paddy McDonnell
Date Published
The Health and Safety Authority's annual statistics for 2025 make difficult reading. 58 people died in work-related incidents in Ireland last year - a 61% increase on the 36 fatalities recorded in 2024. The fatality rate rose from 1.3 to 2.1 per 100,000 workers. Behind every number is a person, a family, and a community affected by a death that should not have happened.
The Sector Breakdown
The distribution of fatalities across sectors reveals persistent patterns and alarming new trends:
Agriculture: 23 deaths (40% of all work-related fatalities). Agriculture has been the most dangerous sector in Ireland for decades, and 2025 was no exception. Farm machinery incidents, livestock handling, and falls from height remain the primary causes
Construction: 10 deaths (up from 5 in 2024 - a doubling). The construction sector, despite improved regulations and increased inspection activity, saw a significant deterioration in safety outcomes
Manufacturing: 5 deaths (up from zero in 2024). This sharp increase in a sector that had achieved zero fatalities the previous year demands investigation
Transport and storage, services, and other sectors accounted for the remaining 20 deaths
Who Is Dying
Two demographic patterns stand out in the 2025 data:
Self-employed workers accounted for 40% of all fatalities. These are individuals who often work alone, without the safety management structures, supervision, and training that employees in larger organisations receive. The self-employed farmer working alone in a remote field, the sole-trader construction worker on a small site - these are the people falling through the gaps in our safety systems.
Workers aged 65 and over represented 33% of fatalities. In agriculture especially, many of those killed were older farmers who had worked the land for decades. Age-related factors - reduced mobility, slower reaction times, the physical demands of the work - compound the risks inherent in an already dangerous sector.
The HSA Response: Programme of Work 2026
The Health and Safety Authority has published its Programme of Work for 2026, setting out a risk-based, evidence-led approach to inspection and enforcement. Key elements include:
Targeted inspections in the highest-risk sectors, with agriculture and construction receiving the greatest attention
Increased enforcement action where serious non-compliance is identified, including prohibition notices and prosecutions
Continued roll-out of awareness campaigns targeting the self-employed and older workers
Implementation of the Construction Safety Partnership Advisory Committee (CSPAC) 2025-2027 Action Plan, which focuses on digital solutions for incident tracking, online safety training, and technology adoption
What This Means for Safety Professionals
These statistics are not abstract. They are a direct challenge to everyone working in safety and health in Ireland. They demand honest reflection:
Are your risk assessments genuinely identifying the hazards that are killing people, or have they become routine paperwork exercises?
Are you reaching the self-employed and small employers who account for a disproportionate share of fatalities?
Are your safety management systems designed for real-world conditions - lone working, ageing workforces, seasonal pressures - or for an idealised version of the workplace?
Are you maintaining your own professional competence through structured CPD, or relying on knowledge that may be years out of date?
The Case for Professional Standards
The 2025 fatality figures reinforce why qualified, competent safety professionals are not a luxury - they are a necessity. Employers who invest in professional safety advice, who engage practitioners with recognised qualifications and current knowledge, are the employers whose workers come home at the end of the day.
IIESMS members across the Safety and Health Sector Group work at the front line of workplace safety in Ireland. From risk assessment and safety management system development to incident investigation and regulatory compliance, these professionals carry the responsibility of protecting workers in every sector.
If you are a safety and health professional, your credentials matter. Your CPD matters. Your professional community matters. Find the IIESMS grade that recognises your competence and join a body committed to raising professional standards in safety and health across Ireland.
Sources and Further Reading
Health and Safety Authority - Workplace Fatalities