Safety Induction Training in Dublin: What Irish Law Expects for New Employees

Safety induction training is what new employees get in their first days to understand the hazards of the job and what to do in an emergency. The sections of the 2005 Act we read do not use the word "induction", but they are clear that training must be given on recruitment and that newly recruited employees must be made aware of the safety statement. If you are hiring in Dublin, this article sets out what the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 says, as read on the Irish Statute Book and Revised Acts sites. For the wider list of topics employers commonly cover, see our guide to HSA mandatory training requirements in Ireland.

One correction to a common shorthand is worth making. Section 9 of the 2005 Act is headed "Information for employees", and section 10 is headed "Instruction, training and supervision of employees". Between them, with section 8 and section 20, they form the legal basis for a good induction. The law is national, so the same provisions apply to a Dublin start-up and to a national employer.

Section 8: the employer's general duty

Section 8(2)(g) of the 2005 Act extends the employer's general duty to providing the "information, instruction, training and supervision necessary" to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, employees' safety, health and welfare at work. This is the umbrella provision: induction content should be judged against what is necessary for the particular job and workplace.

Section 9: information employees must receive

Section 9(1), as read on the Irish Statute Book, requires that when an employer provides information on safety, health and welfare it is given in a form, manner and, as appropriate, language that is reasonably likely to be understood by the employees concerned. The information must include:

• the hazards to safety, health and welfare at work and the risks identified by the risk assessment;
• the protective and preventive measures to be taken in respect of the place of work and each specific task; and
• the names of the persons designated under section 11 and of safety representatives selected under section 25, if any.

Section 9 also has rules for people who are not permanent staff. Where a fixed-term or temporary employee is to be used, the employer must, before employment starts, give information on potential risks to safety, health and welfare, health surveillance, any special occupational qualifications or skills required in the place of work, and any increased specific risks the work may involve. Where an employee of another undertaking works in the employer's undertaking, the employer must take measures to make sure that employee's employer receives adequate information on the section 9(1) matters.

Section 10: instruction, training and supervision

Section 10 is the clearest statement on timing. As read on the Revised Acts page, training must be given:

• on recruitment;
• on transfer or a change in assigned task;
• when new work equipment or systems of work are introduced, or existing ones change; and
• when new technology is introduced.

The section also provides that instruction, training and supervision must be in a form, manner and, where appropriate, language reasonably likely to be understood by the employee; that adequate safety, health and welfare training should be given, where appropriate, during time off from work and without loss of remuneration; that training must be updated for new or changed risks and, as appropriate, repeated periodically; and that employers using fixed-term or temporary staff must ensure they receive training suited to their work, taking account of their qualifications and experience. Employers must also ensure that employees of other employers working at the same workplace receive instruction on the risks there, as necessary or appropriate.

Citizens Information (page last edited 25 August 2022) summarises the position by saying employers must provide instruction and training on health and safety and must allow paid time off for safety awareness training.

Section 20: the safety statement and new starters

The safety statement is the document that records the hazards, the risks assessed, the protective measures, emergency plans and procedures, employees' duties and the names of people with safety responsibilities. As read on the Irish Statute Book, section 20 requires that employees are made aware of the statement at least once a year and after any amendment, and that newly recruited employees are made aware of it when they start. It must be presented in a form, manner and language they are reasonably likely to understand. Where specific tasks pose a serious risk, relevant extracts must be brought to the attention of those affected.

A copy or relevant extract must also be available for inspection at or near the workplace while work is carried out there. For induction, this means the safety statement is not optional reading material: bringing it to a new employee's attention is a statutory step.

What a legally grounded induction can cover

The following checklist is our suggestion, built from the provisions above. It is not a list of legal requirements, and the Act does not prescribe a standard induction format or length.

• The job's hazards and controls, drawn from the risk assessment, including task-specific risks.
• The safety statement, or the relevant extracts, with the new starter's duties and the people responsible for safety.
• Emergency procedures, including the plans and procedures recorded in the statement.
• Who the designated and representative contacts are, since section 9 lists their names among the information to give.
• Task-specific training where equipment, manual handling, chemicals or work at height are involved.
• Supervision arrangements for the first weeks, in line with the reference to supervision in sections 8 and 10.
• A record of what was covered, by whom and when. The sources we read do not prescribe a record format.

Induction is also the moment to check understanding. Because sections 9 and 10 and the safety statement provisions all refer to language and form "reasonably likely to be understood", an induction delivered only in a way a new employee cannot follow may not meet the standard. If your hiring documents also touch on training and probation, our guide to written statements, probation and mandatory training covers that side.

Agency, temporary and fixed-term workers

Section 9(4) also has a provision for temporary staff supplied through a temporary employment business: the employer must specify to the business the occupational qualifications necessary and the specific features of the work, and must ensure that the business gives the required information to the employee. Do not assume that an agency worker arrives fully briefed. Dublin employers who use agency staff should build this into their onboarding.

Learnsignal's offices are off Baggot Street in Dublin, and we offer in-person training from there. For current details, see our CPD pages.

Frequently asked questions

Is safety induction training a legal requirement in Ireland?

Section 10 of the 2005 Act requires training to be given on recruitment, and section 20 requires newly recruited employees to be made aware of the safety statement when they start. The sections of the Act we read do not use the word "induction" or set a format or length.

How long should an induction last?

The provisions we read set no duration. The standard is that instruction and training are necessary for the employee's safety, health and welfare and are given in a form and language reasonably likely to be understood.

Does induction have to be done in working hours and be paid?

Section 10(1)(b) refers to safety, health and welfare training being given, where appropriate, during time off from work and without loss of remuneration. Citizens Information (last edited 25 August 2022) says employers must allow paid time off for safety awareness training.

Do temporary and agency workers need induction?

The Act has specific provisions for them. Section 9 requires information before employment starts for fixed-term and temporary employees, and section 10 requires training suited to their work, taking account of their qualifications and experience.

Do contractors working on our premises need to be told about risks?

Section 10 requires employers to make sure that employees of other employers working at the same workplace receive instruction on the risks there, as necessary or appropriate. Section 9 deals with information reaching the other employer.

Check the primary sources for the exact wording that applies to your workplace.