Clare County Fire & Rescue Service has been awarded OHSAS 18001:2007 certification, the only auditable international standard for health and safety.
The “OHSAS 18001 Occupational health and safety management systems – Requirements” standard was first published by the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) in 2007. The standard sets out a preventative and proactive approach to identifying workplace hazards and assessing and controlling risk.
Clare County Fire & Rescue Service joins Limerick County, North Tipperary and Carlow Fire Services as the only Fire Authorities in Ireland to have achieved the prestigious standard.
Mayor of Clare Cllr. Joe Arkins congratulated the Fire Service, adding that maintaining health and safety standards to the highest level is “critically important for both Fire Service personnel and the general public whom they serve.”
“I want to commend the fire-fighters and support staff of Clare County Fire & Rescue Service for their planning, organisation and hard work in providing a quality, year-round service to those who live in, work in and visit Clare,” added the Mayor.
Clare County Manager Tom Coughlan commented: “Achieving OHSAS 18001:2007 certification is a wonderful achievement for Clare County Council and is a tribute to Fire Service staff who have worked extremely hard to further improve the overall standard of their safety performance and provide the public with independent assurance of a high quality service. “
According to Adrian Kelly, Chief Fire Officer: “Our fire and rescue staff are among the most highly trained in the country and this accreditation underlines that staff are also committed to implementing the highest standards of health and safety throughout their operations. While we were always satisfied that we were achieving the highest possible standards, securing this accreditation helps us to promote this fact to the wider public throughout County.”
Ennis Station Officer Gearóid Blake, who was involved in the NSAI’s audit of the local Fire Service, stated: “The staff are delighted to be in receipt of this certification which will serve to remind us of how maintaining health and safety standards is central to the work we carry out on a 24-hour basis, 365 days of the year. As someone who is on the frontline of managing the health and safety of Fire Service personnel at incidents, I am acutely aware of the benefits for both fire-fighters and the general public in enforcing these high standards.”
The awarding of OHSAS 18001:2007 certification follows just months after Clare County Council received the overall Local Authority Award in the 22nd Annual National Safety Awards scheme, hosted by the National Irish Safety Organisation (NISO) and Northern Ireland Safety Group (NISG).
Ger Hartnett, Senior Executive Health & Safety Officer, Clare County Council: “By securing OHSAS 18001:2007 certification, Clare County Fire & Rescue Service is being officially recognised for demonstrating a consistently high quality health and safety performance and an outstanding contribution to occupational safety, health and welfare. The awarding of this certification underlines the strong leadership and commitment demonstrated by the Fire Service in achieving these standards, as well as the Council’s overall commitment to continuously improving health and safety performance and complying with Health & Safety law.”
Clare County Fire & Rescue Service will be officially presented with the OHSAS 18001:2007 certification at an award ceremony next month. For more on OHSAS 18001:2007 certification visit www.nsai.ie.
The “OHSAS 18001 Occupational health and safety management systems – Requirements” standard was first published by the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) in 2007. The standard sets out a preventative and proactive approach to identifying workplace hazards and assessing and controlling risk.
Clare County Fire & Rescue Service joins Limerick County, North Tipperary and Carlow Fire Services as the only Fire Authorities in Ireland to have achieved the prestigious standard.
Mayor of Clare Cllr. Joe Arkins congratulated the Fire Service, adding that maintaining health and safety standards to the highest level is “critically important for both Fire Service personnel and the general public whom they serve.”
“I want to commend the fire-fighters and support staff of Clare County Fire & Rescue Service for their planning, organisation and hard work in providing a quality, year-round service to those who live in, work in and visit Clare,” added the Mayor.
Clare County Manager Tom Coughlan commented: “Achieving OHSAS 18001:2007 certification is a wonderful achievement for Clare County Council and is a tribute to Fire Service staff who have worked extremely hard to further improve the overall standard of their safety performance and provide the public with independent assurance of a high quality service. “
According to Adrian Kelly, Chief Fire Officer: “Our fire and rescue staff are among the most highly trained in the country and this accreditation underlines that staff are also committed to implementing the highest standards of health and safety throughout their operations. While we were always satisfied that we were achieving the highest possible standards, securing this accreditation helps us to promote this fact to the wider public throughout County.”
Ennis Station Officer Gearóid Blake, who was involved in the NSAI’s audit of the local Fire Service, stated: “The staff are delighted to be in receipt of this certification which will serve to remind us of how maintaining health and safety standards is central to the work we carry out on a 24-hour basis, 365 days of the year. As someone who is on the frontline of managing the health and safety of Fire Service personnel at incidents, I am acutely aware of the benefits for both fire-fighters and the general public in enforcing these high standards.”
The awarding of OHSAS 18001:2007 certification follows just months after Clare County Council received the overall Local Authority Award in the 22nd Annual National Safety Awards scheme, hosted by the National Irish Safety Organisation (NISO) and Northern Ireland Safety Group (NISG).
Ger Hartnett, Senior Executive Health & Safety Officer, Clare County Council: “By securing OHSAS 18001:2007 certification, Clare County Fire & Rescue Service is being officially recognised for demonstrating a consistently high quality health and safety performance and an outstanding contribution to occupational safety, health and welfare. The awarding of this certification underlines the strong leadership and commitment demonstrated by the Fire Service in achieving these standards, as well as the Council’s overall commitment to continuously improving health and safety performance and complying with Health & Safety law.”
Clare County Fire & Rescue Service will be officially presented with the OHSAS 18001:2007 certification at an award ceremony next month. For more on OHSAS 18001:2007 certification visit www.nsai.ie.
