Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 April 2022
207. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of labour-related accidents due to sleep apnoea recorded in the State in each of the years 2017 to 2021, inclusive in tabular form. [20590/22]
View answerThe Health and Safety Authority has confirmed that they have no recorded incidents of workplace accidents due to sleep apnoea, as requested by the Deputy.
Under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, an employer has a duty of care to create and maintain a safe and healthy workplace The Act applies to all places of work. An employer’s duties include the following -
- Managing and conducting all work activities so as to ensure, as far as reasonably practicable, the safety, health and welfare of people at work
- Designing, providing and maintaining a safe place of work that has safe access and egress, and uses plant and equipment that is safe and without risk to health
- Providing information, instruction, training and supervision regarding safety and health to employees
- Preventing risks to other people at the place of work including, for example, visitors, customers, suppliers and sales representatives
Employees, including those employed on a part-time or temporary basis, also have a duty of care under the 2005 Act including the following -
- Comply with relevant laws and protect their own safety and health, as well as the safety and health of anyone who may be affected by their acts or omissions at work
- Ensure that they are not under the influence of any intoxicant to the extent that they could be a danger to themselves or others while at work
- Cooperate with their employer with regard to safety, health and welfare at work
- Use in the correct manner any item provided for protection
- Participate in safety and health training offered by their employer
- Report any dangerous situations, practices or defects that might endanger a person’s safety, health or welfare
- Not to engage in any improper conduct that could endanger their safety or health or that of anyone else
All employers are legally obliged to report the injury of an employee, as a result of an accident while at work, to the Health and Safety Authority. Injuries must be reported where an employee is unable to carry out their normal work for more than three consecutive days, excluding the day of the accident.
While the general principle is that an employer does not have an overarching right to know the nature of an employee’s illness or an employee’s medical condition, employees should consider informing their employer of any underlying health conditions that could affect their ability to carry out their work in a safe manner.
