ESB CIO Safety Committees Lighten the Load
This year European Health & Safety Week runs from October 22nd to the 26th. The campaign is entitled 'Lighten the Load' and is dedicated to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). The aim of the campaign is to support MSD prevention. Work related MSD problems include back pain, neck and upper limb disorders, repetitive strain injuries and lower limb disorders.
Within the CIO Organisation we have two very active safety committees. The CIO Organisation comprises Telecommunication and Information Technology functions and the risk profile and the nature of hazards in each of these areas differ. Accordingly separate detailed Safety and Health Statements are in place for each of these areas, but the two safety committees work jointly on many initiatives that affect staff in all areas of the CIO Organisation. EM caught up with members of both committees, who gave us a flavour of what is happening in the whole area of safety in the CIO Organisation.
Health & Safety
Co-ordinator
To address the issue of safety
training, the CIO has put in
place a detailed health and
safety training program,
implemented by Health and
Safety Co-ordinator, Jim
Murphy. Jim is working on a
three year roll-over plan to
ensure all staff in the CIO
successfully complete
mandatory Manual Handling
training. To date 153 staff have
been trained in 2007, with
more being trainted in October
and November.
Work Station Assessments
Another key initiative being
worked on by the joint
committees is the whole area
of Work Station Assessments.
Repetitive strain injuries
became more commonplace as
computer usage increases. So
far 50 safety audits have been
completed. In addition, Marian
Hurley of ESB Training
recently delivered a
presentation on 'The Safe Operation of a Workstation' to
help to raise awareness among
staff.
Near Miss Reports
Near Miss Reports are vitally
important to Safety
committees. Staff are
encouraged to use the near
miss report cards provided in
dispensers around all offices
to report any near misses, as
such reports can help prevent
future accidents. The
committees are planning to
have an online version of Near
Miss Reports available shortly.
Occupational Health Safety
Authority Audit (OHSA)
As part of the implementation
of the Safe Business
Management (SBM) program,
the CIO is carrying out a
Safety Management
Assessment to OHSA
standards for the different
areas of the business. Earlier
this year the first of these
assessments was carried out
over three days in Telecom
Services.
Various managers and team leaders were involved in the review which was a comprehensive analysis of the processes and systems in place to manage safety in the business. This will also be carried out in ESB Telecoms Ltd and IT Solutions. A number of the outputs from these audits will feed into initiatives for the 2008 Safety Improvement Plans.
Competition
To mark European Health &
Safety week, a 'Lighten the
Load' safety competition for
all CIO Staff will be held
between the 22nd and 26th of
October. There are great prizes
to be won. Details will appear
on the CIO staff Intranet.
In addition to this details of another competition have already been published - 'How innovative ways of using IT and Telecommunications could raise our day to day awareness of safety in the workplace'. CIO Staff are reminded to forward their ideas to the nominated safety manager in each business so that a winner can be announced during Safety Week.
