One in eight employees killed in the workplace this year were foreign workers, the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) said today.
The HSA said the number of non-nationals being killed in accidents at work indicated a worrying trend
Figures from the HSA revealed seven non-national workers had died in work-related incidents so far in 2005, out of a total of 56 deaths. The authority said the number of non-nationals being killed in accidents at work indicated a worrying trend.
HSA chief executive Tom Beegan urged employers to ensure they were properly explaining risks and safety training to all employees, including those who didn't speak English.
"We recognise the importance of migrant labour to the Irish economy and as such, we are encouraging employers to protect this asset by providing safety information and training in a manner, form and language that is likely to be understood by those workers who do not speak English.
"It is not good enough to simply pass on the message - Employers must satisfy themselves that the message is hitting home as indeed they would with any other employee," Mr Beegan said.
Of the seven deaths in 2005, three were in construction, two were in manufacturing, one was in agriculture and one in the transport industry.
The HSA said it had been working on a programme of information resources for non-English speakers that won an award from the International Social Security Association during a recent World Congress on Safety.
The safe system of work plan for construction uses simple diagrams to convey hazards and safety systems and has been translated into Polish and Turkish, with a seven-language DVD on the way.