Falls from height accounted for 15 of the 23 construction-related deaths examined in a new review by Ireland’s Health and Safety Authority, with most fatalities occurring on sites employing no more than four workers.
The review, published on 20 October 2026, covers fatal incidents in the Republic of Ireland between 2022 and 2024. Nineteen deaths, or 83% of the total, occurred on sites with one to four workers.
The total includes 20 workers and three non-workers. Ten of those who died were employees and ten were self-employed, meaning the self-employed accounted for half of worker fatalities.
Construction work on farms and upkeep, repair and maintenance at individual houses each accounted for five deaths. Single-house construction projects accounted for four, while housing developments involving multiple units accounted for three.
Focus on small projects
The full report also examined project supervision. Of 16 projects requiring appointments of both a Project Supervisor Design Process and a Project Supervisor Construction Stage, only four had those appointments in place.
The HSA plans to inspect 50 design practices in 2027, focusing on designers’ duties to tell clients about the requirement to appoint project supervisors. It also plans guidance with the Construction Safety Partnership Advisory Committee in the first quarter of 2027.
For scaffolding and access contractors, the findings bring attention to fall prevention and coordination on smaller construction and maintenance jobs. The figures relate to Ireland and do not provide a separate breakdown of scaffolding fatalities or identify the access equipment involved in the falls.
The review draws on HSA fatal incident investigations and supplementary Central Statistics Office data. The authority notes that fatality totals can change as incidents are notified or their circumstances are established.
