Overcrowding at many Accident and Emergency departments is a fire hazard and increases the risk of slips and falls for staff and patients, a Health and Safety Authority (HSA) report found today.
The HSA investigated eleven A&Es and found risk-management procedures inadequate.
It said there was inadequate attendance by safety representatives at safety meetings and that too few meetings took place. It also found staff safety training was inadequate.
It also said that insufficient provision was being made to reduce the threat of violence within A&Es and inadequate procedures for handling of chemical substances.
The report said: "Inspectors report that there was serious congestion within some Accident And Emergency departments due to overcrowding by patients awaiting admission.
"Overcrowding can lead to an increased risk of injuries due to slips, trips and falls and manual handling as well as an increased risk of infection and of aggression/violence from frustrated patients. It also has the potential to compromise fire evacuation procedures."
In the case of eight of the hospitals visited, inspectors found trolleys, chairs, and medical equipment stored in fire-protected corridors; obstructed fire exits; obstructed fire extinguishers and inadequate evacuation plans.
The HSA has notified fire officers in relation to these issues.
The Labour Party today said the findings confirmed that conditions in the State's A&E's were at "crisis point".
"It is a shocking indication of the conditions in our hospitals that the Health and Safety Authority has had to warn the public that those who go to A&E departments seeking treatment are actually being put as risk of injury, infection and violence," party health spokeswoman, Liz McManus said.
The hospitals inspected were: Naas General Hospital; James Connolly Hospital; Beaumont Hospital; Mater Hospital; St Joseph's Clonmel; Our Lady's of Lourdes, Drogheda; Wexford General; Mercy Hospital, Cork; Limerick Regional; Sligo Regional and UCH Galway.
The HSA said it would not identify publicly identify the extent of problems at particular hospitals but said the broad issues raised by the report were common to all.
The report concluded the problems would need to be addressed "within an overall strategy for the general management of the health care sector".
Copies of each investigation have been sent to the respective hospitals and the authority has met with HSE chief executive, Kevin Kelly. The HEA is "satisfied" that areas of concern would act on the findings "as a matter of urgency", the report said.