Healthier work practices are needed to address economic and social problems associated with absenteeism and an ageing population, Minister of State for Labour Affairs Tony Killeen said today.
Speaking at a conference on occupational health ahead of the announcement of new safety regulations in the construction sector, Mr Killeen said ill health caused by work was costing an estimated €3.6 billion annually.
Mr Killeen also said an increasing proportion of retirees in the Irish population meant measures needed to be taken to encourage people to stay working later in life.
The National Strategy on Health and Wellbeing at Work is being developed by the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) and Mr Killeen said "it will have far reaching implications for occupational health and safety policy and practice in the years to come".
Although occupational health had generally been relegated below safety as an issue, it had "profound social, economic, but often ignored, implications for us all", Mr Killeen said.
He noted that extending people's work-life was seen by EU ministers as a necessary part the Lisbon Agenda aimed at making the EU a knowledge-based economy by 2010.
Statistics show that while Ireland's problem is less pressing than other EU states, demographic trends indicate the State is set to experience rapid ageing from 2025 onwards.
Age-related payments in 2005 cost around €3 billion, and NCB Stockbrokers predicts that by 2050, there will be less than two persons of working age per person over 65.
The more immediate concern of the high cost of accidents and ill-health would also be addressed through the strategy.
Work-related accidents and ill-health has been estimated to cost €3.6 billion in medical bills, insurance premiums and administration about of which is accounted for by lost output.
Absenteeism is also caused by work-related ill health with a 2004 survey finding an average of 14 million workdays were lost due to absence in Ireland at a cost of almost €1.5 billion.
"Absenteeism affects all in the workplace; there is potential loss of quality, production and customers as well as strain on the absent employee's co-workers, who are subjected to increased pressure in order to meet deadlines," Mr Killeen said.
The strategy would also help address costs borne by the taxpayer such as illness and disability payments which were on an upward trend, the Minister of State added.
Later, Mr Killeen announced a series of new health and safety regulations in the construction sector.
He noted construction output has risen 80 per cent since 2000 to a value of almost €32 billion in 2005 with workers in the sector making up over 12 per cent of the workforce.
Some 23 people died on construction sites last year, making the industry second only to agricultural as the most dangerous place to work. Foreign workers are up to three times more likely to be killed at work according to the HSA.
"We have a duty of care to over 240,000 workers who are supporting one of our most important and vibrant sectors of our economy," Mr Killeen said.
The regulations come into effect from November 6th.