The Health and Safety Commission (HSC) has published a strategic plan to reduce work-related injuries and ill-health over the next three years.
It has also selected eight priority programmes on which to focus its activity.
The HSC said by 2010 it aimed to reduce the number of working days lost from work-related injury by 30%, the incidence of work-related ill-health by 20% and the incidence of fatal or major injury by 10%.
By focusing on the eight priority programmes, it said it hoped to achieve half of each improvement by 2004.
The eight priority programmes are:
HSC chair Bill Callaghan said: "The primary responsibility for the health and safety of workers remains with employers.
"They have a legal and moral duty to ensure that all reasonable steps are taken to safeguard the well-being of those in their employment, as well as members of the public whose health and safety may be affected by their activities."
