Workplace deaths: Sinn Féin calls for corporate manslaughter laws

» John Hedges

An Phoblacht Editor

‘It is well past time that rogue employers are put under pressure to live up to their health and safety obligations’ – Sinn Féin TD Jonathan O’Brien

THERE IS ONE WORKPLACE DEATH almost every week, Sinn Féin TD Jonathan O’Brien told the Dáil as he called for the Fine Gael/Labour Party Government to give official recognition to Workers’ Memorial Day on 28 April and improve health and safety measures in the workplace.

The Cork North Central TD also called for the introduction of corporate manslaughter legislation.

The Health and Safety Authority said that (as of 25 April), 216 people have died in the workplace since the beginning of 2008, including 48 during 2010 and 54 during 2011. So far this year, 14 people have died in the workplace.

Jonathan O’Brien said:

“This increase is shocking considering the actual decrease in the working population in these years. The figures for workplace fatalities should be decreasing and, ideally, completely eradicated.”

Repeating Sinn Féin’s longstanding call for the Government to immediately bring in corporate manslaughter legislation, he said:

“For many employers, health and safety in the workplace is an afterthought while the priority is profit-making. This needs to change and it is well past time that rogue employers are put under pressure to live up to their health and safety obligations.”

He said he was disappointed that the government refused to give a commitment to introduce corporate manslaughter legislation, maintaining that current legislation is adequate.

“Sinn Féin published a Corporate Manslaughter Bill in 2007 and called on the then Government to endorse it,” Jonathan O’Brien said on Tuesday. “I am repeating that call again today. This type of legislation, which is already in place in many countries, is a key tool in the battle to reduce workplace accidents and fatalities.”