Downloads & Guides

September 2023

Guidance for Exposure to Sensitive Content

The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) and the State Claims Agency (SCA) have published guidance on occupational exposure to sensitive content.

The guide is designed to assist organisations employing people in roles which expose them to sensitive content as part of their assigned duties or other employees who are unexpectedly exposed in their role. Content moderators, employed by social media companies, are frequently exposed to such material. The new guide outlines employers’ duties to carry out hazard identification and risk assessment for all known hazards including exposure to graphic material.

July 2023

HSA Annual Report 2022

The Health and Safety Authority's (HSA) Annual Report 2022. This is the HSA's first annual report under its Strategy Statement 2022-2024.

May 2021

Level Crossing Safety Awareness Campaign

Every year there are numerous collisions and “near miss” incidents, involving pedestrians and/or motorists at unattended level crossings. These are the level crossings where members of the public are responsible under law for both opening and closing the level crossing gate.

Unfortunately, in a lot of cases people do not close the gate after using the level crossing. This can result in subsequent pedestrians or motorists coming upon an open level crossing and proceeding, without caution, into the path of an on-coming train. The consequences can, and often does, result in serious injury or fatality.

Please see the safety booklets from Irish Rail below.

May 2019

Code of Practice for Inline Diving and Inshore Diving

The aim of this code of practice is to provide practical guidance on the safe management of diving at work. It provides assistance on the observance of the requirements of the 2018 Diving Regulations.

May 2019

Code of Practice for Offshore Diving

The aim of this code of practice is to provide practical guidance on the safe management of diving at work. It provides assistance on the observance of the requirements of the 2018 Diving Regulations 2018

May 2019

Code of Practice for Avoiding Danger From Overhead Electricity Lines

This Code of Practice (COP) provides practical guidance to:

• Clients
• Designers
• Planners
• Project Supervisors Design Process (PSDP)
• Project Supervisors Construction Stage (PSCS)
• Contractors
• Safety Representatives
• Any personnel involved in carrying out work where they are at risk from overhead electricity lines
• Employers and employees at risk from the hazards of electricity from overhead electricity lines

This COP also gives practical advice to plant and machinery drivers and operators to avoid coming into contact with overhead electricity lines. This Code of Practice (COP) was first published in 2008. ESB Networks, with the assistance of the Health and Safety Authority, published this edition in 2019. It revokes and replaces the previous Code in accordance with the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005.

April 2019

What to Expect when the Health and Safety Inspector Calls

This leaflet tells you what can happen when one of the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) inspectors visits your workplace to carry out an inspection or an investigation. It also explains what the HSA does with the personal data it are required to collect during its workplace inspections and accident investigations.

March 2019

Job Stress and Working Conditions - Plain English Version

Plain English version of the European Job Stress and Working Conditions report by the ESRI.

March 2019

Safe Quarry: A Guide for Quarry Workers

This guidance document has been developed by the tripartite Quarry Safety Partnership and provides essential information for both new and experienced quarry workers on all aspects of quarrying. It also introduces the SLAM technique, which when employed correctly allows on-the-job risk assessments to be made.

March 2019

Managing Ergonomic Risk in the Workplace to Improve Musculoskeletal Health

This guide from the HSA gives direction on the actions that need to be taken in order to manage ergonomic risks at workplace level. It explains the main ergonomic risk factors that may affect a person's health when carrying out work activities, outlines the risk assessment process involved in managing ergonomic risks, and gives guidance on useful risk assessment tools that can be used to quantify ergonomic risk factors.

March 2019

Review of Construction-Related Fatal Accidents in Ireland 1989-2016

Between 1989 and 2016, a total of 1,616 work-related fatal accidents were reported to the HSA. Over a quarter of all these involved construction businesses or other businesses engaged in construction activity. Since these represent such a high proportion of all fatal accidents, it is important to have a clear understanding of their causes and characteristics.

March 2019

Chemical Safety in Hairdressing Information Sheet

This HSA information leaflet has been developed to provide practical advice for employers and employees exposed to chemical products in the hairdressing industry.

February 2019

HSA Strategy Statement 2019-21

This is the fifth statement of strategy prepared by the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005. This strategy will be implemented in an Ireland that has returned to economic success, business growth and full employment.

February 2019

HSA Programme of Work 2019

This is the first year for implementation of the Health and Safety Authority's (HSA) new Strategy for the period 2019-2021. This affords the HSA an opportunity to reset its programmes in order to meet its new strategic priorities and goals.

December 2019

Code of Practice for Access and Working Scaffolds

The aim of this Code of Practice is to provide practical guidance to scaffold erectors, contractors and users of scaffolding on the requirements and prohibitions set out in the relevant statutory provisions.