Health & Safety Award for Clare Local Authorities

CONNOLLY, Ireland - Oct. 8, 2013 - PRLog -- Clare Local Authorities have been named overall winner of the Local Authority Award in the 22nd Annual National Safety Awards scheme.

Clare Local Authorities beat off competition from other local authority areas across the island of Ireland to win the award, which was presented at a ceremony in Galway at the weekend.

Organised by the National Irish Safety Organisation (NISO) and Northern Ireland Safety Group (NISG), the scheme recognises organisations which demonstrate a consistently good or continuously improving health and safety performance and an outstanding contribution to occupational safety, health and welfare during the previous year.

Mayor of Clare Cllr. Joe Arkins welcomed the news, stating: “The fact that Clare Local Authorities were deemed the overall winner out all local authority areas on the island of Ireland is a recognition of the strong leadership and commitment demonstrated by management, influencing of stakeholders and particularly the engagement of staff at all levels of the organisation to continuously improve health & safety performance and comply with Health & Safety law as a minimum standard of performance.”

Tom Coughlan, Clare County Manager stated: “I wish to acknowledge and thank the staff of Clare Local Authorities for their engagement in the programme which has been delivered in recent years to achieve a very high level of health and safety management. Being the largest employer in the County, it is critically important that Clare Local Authorities implement a programme to protect the health and well-being of staff, who are our greatest asset.”

Ger Hartnett, Senior Executive Health & Safety Officer, Clare Local Authorities commented: “The Awards are recognised as Ireland’s foremost awards scheme among health and safety professionals throughout the island of Ireland. Therefore, it is a huge honour for Clare Local Authorities to receive national recognition for their Occupational Health & Safety Management System.”

“The award success is based on a submission made on the Health & Safety Performance of Clare Local Authorities in 2012 and demonstrates the positive and proactive safety culture that exists in the Local Authority,” added Mr. Hartnett.

Pauric Corrigan, NISO president, along with Priscilla Woods, NISG chair, and Lucinda Creighton, T.D., presented awards to over 100 organisations at the weekend ceremony.

Further information is available from www.niso.ie.