The number of people who died in workplace accidents last year fell by 25%, according to the annual report from the Health and Safety Authority.
The highest number of deaths were in the agriculture and construction sectors.
Last year, 43 people lost their lives in work-related accidents, which was 14 less deaths than in 2008.
The reduction is being attributed, in part, to the fall in the number of people at work.
However, it is also part of a downward trend in the number of people losing their lives in work-related accidents.
There were ten deaths in construction and ten in agriculture last year, but there have already been 11 deaths in the agriculture sector so far this year.
More than 18,000 inspections were carried out by the HSA last year, and in 11% of cases some action was demanded by the Authority.
The HSA sent 44 files to the Director of Public Prosecutions in 2009 and 38 prosecutions were completed with fines of over €700,000 imposed.
