About the Health and Safety Authority:
Who are we?
The Health and Safety Authority (the Authority) was established in 1989 under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 1989. Additional functions have been conferred on the Authority since then under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, the Chemicals Acts 2008 and 2010 and other legislation. In 2014, the Irish National Accreditation Board (INAB) was included under the Authority’s functions. The Authority reports to the Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail under delegated authority from the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment.
The Authority has a very broad mandate as set out below across the areas of occupational safety and health, chemicals, market surveillance and accreditation.
 To regulate the safety, health and welfare of people at work and those affected by work activities.
 To promote improvement in the safety, health and welfare of people at work and those affected by work activities.
 To regulate and promote the safe manufacture, use, placing on the market, trade and transport of chemicals.
 To act as a surveillance authority in relation to relevant single European market legislation.
 To act as the national accreditation body for Ireland.
The Chief Executive Officer, together with the Assistant Chief Executives (ACEs), manages the implementation of strategy in line with the Authority’s statutory responsibilities. Each Assistant Chief Executive has responsibility for the divisions as set out below.
a) The Corporate Services division provides the support structure of the Authority on which all other divisions and sections rely to carry out their functions and roles. The division has responsibility for people and organisational development, finance, ICT, facilities, communications, legislation and corporate governance, procurement, strategic management including risk management, Freedom of Information, quality assurance and internal audit.
b) The Chemicals and Industrial Products Division has responsibility for international, EU and national legislation for the safe manufacture, authorisation, use, transport, import, trade, sale and market surveillance of chemicals and industrial products. It ensures the protection of workers, professional users, consumers and the environment from the risks associated with the use of hazardous chemicals and industrial products. The Division operates the REACH and CLP Helpdesk for Ireland.
c) The Occupational Safety division has responsibility for the development and implementation of policy across specific sectors such as construction,
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manufacturing, mining and quarrying, engineering and transport, as well as national inspection and investigation teams for occupational safety and health. The division also incorporates the Authority’s legal team who provide legal advice and handle prosecutions via the Office of Public Prosecution.
d) The Occupational Health Division has responsibility for the development and implementation of policy and inspection programmes on occupational health and hygiene. The division also hosts the health and social care and agriculture, forestry and fishing national teams, which have a focus on occupational safety and health policy and inspection in these sectors. In addition, it has responsibility for the delivery of the Authority’s enterprise and employee supports (BeSMART, HSAlearning, WorkPositive).
In addition, the Irish National Accreditation Board (INAB) provides the national accreditation service for Ireland. INAB was established in 1985 and is a Committee of the Health and Safety Authority under legislation (Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, as amended by the Industrial Development (Dissolution of Forfas) Act 2014. Accreditation is the formal recognition that an organisation is competent to perform specific processes, activities, or tasks in a reliable credible and accurate manner. INAB also reports directly to the CEO of the Health and Safety Authority.
Further information about the Authority, including current structure, publications and key documents, is available at www.hsa.ie. Further information about INAB is available at www.inab.ie