Council scoops major safety award
WEXFORD County Council has been awarded the South East Regional Award in respect of its Health and Safety Management System.
Wexford County Fire Services won the South East Regional Award, sharing the accolade on the night with private organisation Honeywell Aerospace.
In winning this highly prestigious award Wexford County Council Fire Service was successful in competing with entrants from both the public and private sector across the South East.
The award was announced at the 25th Annual National Irish Safety Organisation/ Northern Ireland Safety Group ( NISO/ NISG) Safety Awards which took place recently in Killarney.
These annual awards recognise best practice in health and safety throughout Ireland and demonstrate the positive and proactive culture of safety management in both private and public organisations.
In doing so, the awards offer organisations the chance to showcase the health and safety performance of their business, with the many entrants that participate in the Awards each year, including large numbers of repeat entrants, testament to the quality of the process and the high regard that the awards command.
Wexford’s Chief Fire Officer Paul L’Estrange said he was very keen to champion health and safety across the fire service.
‘ The safety, health and well- being of all officers and fire- fighters is essential to our organisation. This award is well deserved by all of those who have worked hard to achieve an extremely high standard of health and safety across the fire service,’ he said.
John Carley, Director of Services at Wexford County Council, accepted the award on behalf of the local authority. ‘ Health and Safety is, and will continue to be an absolute priority for Wexford County Council.’
‘ I am delighted with the quality of work carried out in the Fire Services Department, supported by the council’s Health and Safety team. This work demonstrates our genuine commitment to the wellbeing and safety of all our staff and the public whom we serve,’ said Mr Carley.
The award is regarded by Wexford County Council as further evidence of its commitment to achieving the highest standards of Health and Safety practice across the organisation.
It follows the successful implementation earlier this year of the international quality standard OHSAS 18001: 2007 by the Fire Services Department in respect of its Health and Safety Management System.