Harney Presents Safety Certificates to 6 Waterford Companies

Speaking today (Tuesday 22nd September, 1998) in the Granville Hotel, Waterford, at the presentation of safety certificates to successful graduates of the Safety Management Programme the Tánaiste said "The pilot safety management training programme - the first of its kind in the country - was established in Waterford City with the aim of highlighting the practical benefits of managing workplace safety. Accidents and ill-health involving a member of staff can have a catastrophic effect on the very survival of the business. A serious accident has the potential to destroy the very existence of a small company. To put this is some context ten workers are injured in workplace accidents in Waterford City each week. Thankfully nobody has lost their life in a workplace accident in the last three years - long may this continue.

There is a clear link between effective safety management and a reduction in workplace accidents. The training programme underpins this link and is to be particularly welcomed.

Much of the training centred around the key requirement for companies to have a safety statement. A Safety Statement should not simply be viewed as a legal requirement. It is an important tool in managing safety in the workplace. Firms that manage their safety in a deliberate and conscious way are far more likely to be the ones who manage the rest of their business properly, from marketing to cost control to production and so on.

Safety is a lifelong commitment. It is not a fashion accessory that will change from year to year. Quite simply safety is not an optional extra, but a necessary business concern.

I wish to commend both the Waterford City Enterprise Board and the Health and Safety Authority for collaborating to ensure the success of the pilot project. Their partnership is testament to what can be done to improve safety and health in a realistic manner in small companies. Safety and health issues are no longer the preserve of large companies. The small companies who participated in the pilot programme, and the current programme which commenced last week, have shown through their participation, their determination and commitment to ensuring that safety will be managed in their businesses. I know that the Inspectors from the Authority's Regional Office here in Waterford were very impressed by all the companies who participated in the programme. In the short period since the training finished the Authority's Inspectors have been impressed at just how well safety is being managed by the companies who participated in the pilot programme and who will receive certificates here this evening.

Companies to be presented with certificates; Suir Precision Engineering Ltd Waterford Spraoi Microfix Ireland Ltd Emer Powell t/a Paper Caper The Water Shop Coughlan (Waterford) Ltd t/a Penrose Crystal