Violent assaults against workers in the health care sector have increased by 333 per cent since 1994, according to data compiled for the latest yearly report on health and safety in the industry.
The report was launched this morning by the Minister for Labour Mr Tom Kitt who said the most likely areas where aggression and violence may occur were in the accident and emergency departments of hospitals and in psychiatric and learning disability units.
"Aggression and violence in the workplace is unacceptable - no violence should be accepted as ‘part of the job’," the Minister said.
In 1994 there were 24 assaults report to the Health and Safety Authority while in 1999 that number had risen to 80. Figures for 2000 are still being compiled.
Mr Kitt said he would like to see a further increase in the number of assaults reported through a standardised and computerised reporting system along with training for staff who deal with potentially aggressive and violent patients.
The most frequent cause of accidents remained, as it has been since 1994, injuries caused by lifting or carrying, accounting for almost 30 percent of reported accidents.
The report also found that stress, excessive working hours and bullying had increased significantly while staff shortages had created a real danger of sleep deprivation particularly amongst non-consultant hospital doctors.
On a positive note the report found awareness of safety and health issues had increased greatly and that there was a greater commitment to such matters at a senior level.