During the last week of October, Irish port authorities joined forces to promote Port Safety Week, hosting events throughout the week covering health and wellbeing, safety, PPE, AED and CPR training and more.

From 23-27 October, the port authorities of Ireland joined together through the Irish Ports Safety Forum to host and promote the third Irish Port Safety Week.

Its aim is to highlight and enhance collective safety responsibility and awareness for all port users, with events planned under differing themes throughout the week. These included awareness of Port Golden Rules, Class 3 PPE, emergency response, traffic management, employee wellness, water safety, and safe and healthy work in the digital age.

Some actions Dublin Port carried out included welcoming children from several local schools for an activity built around health and safety; bicycle/scooter safety inspections and dispensing hi-vis safety apparel; putting on an interactive workshop about workplace accidents; and holding a presentation on a human-centric approach to safety/awareness of Class 3 PPE and CPR training, as well as simulations on road safety by the RSA and tug master demos by DSG.

Port of Waterford participated with actions including hosting introductory sessions on their new EHS platform, which is part of their Safety and IT Strategy; carrying out man-overboard drills; launching their Port Emergency Management Plan; having a joint exercise with the fire service; inviting an HSA inspector visit with Key topics,;organising a number of Irish Heart Foundation accredited AED/CPR training sessions; and dedicating a day to health and wellbeing.

Drogheda Port took part with many actions, including putting on a casualty recovery exercise from vessel with the Fire Brigade Services. Further, they put on a man-overboard exercise in progress with the Irish Coast Guard.

Shannon Foynes Port, meanwhile, welcomed students from their local national school; held a course as a refresher on manual handling for port users; and hosted several presentations and demonstrations on electricity safety, machinery, mooring/unmooring, lifting equipment, safe use of large plant and machinery.

The port company further held trainings on CPR/AED and basic fire-fighting; and exercises on emergency responses and swift water training. Among other activities, there was also a charity fundraiser/wellness morning and a visit from and workshop by the HSA.

Lastly, Rosslare Europort’s Port Safety Week activities included an AED/CPR course, staff health checks and wellbeing brief and a Class 3 PPE promotion by the HSA. They also featured information on machinery blind spots, plant and equipment safety checks with a demonstration of the new blind spot camera systems, and additionally a conversation around mental health and wellbeing.

The Port authorities of Ireland have joined together through the Irish Ports Safety Forum to host and promote the third Irish Port Safety Week from October 23rd to 27th 2023.

The aim of this week is for the port authorities to work collaboratively to highlight and enhance collective safety responsibility and awareness for all port users, with events planned under differing themes throughout the week.

The chair of the Irish Ports Safety Forum, John Carlton said, “This week is an opportunity for the port authorities and their stakeholders to promote a culture of safety in the workplace with the objective of improving safety and performance in the port sector, share experiences and knowledge in order to drive continual improvement in eliminating accidents at work. Events organised across the ports will be open to all port stakeholders and the participating ports are inviting and encouraging as many people as possible to get involved with the objective of improving the safety and welfare of all port workers.”

The Irish Port Safety Week dates of 2023 have been selected to follow European Safety Week. All ports nationally have been invited to participate in the national safety week with different collaborative events taking place at each port daily.

The themes of the Irish Port Safety Week include the Awareness of Port Golden Rules, Class 3 PPE, Emergency Response, Traffic Management, Employee Wellness, Water Safety and Safe and Healthy Work in the Digital Age, which is the overall theme of European Safety Week.

Commenting on the upcoming health and safety events, CEO at Port of Waterford David Sinnott says, “The health and safety of all Aort users is paramount, and the events planned for this week serve to create greater awareness and to enhance skills and competencies to ensure a safer work environment for all.”

CEO at Port of Waterford David Sinnott

The IPSF is delighted to have the support of the H.S.A. (Health and Safety Authority) for Irish Port Safety Week. The H.S.A. have various guidance and advice available to Port stakeholders, and the Irish Port authorities are encouraging all employers and employees in Irish Ports to engage with the relevant support available to them on the H.S.A. website, www.HSA.ie

In addition, the ports will have representations from An Garda Síochána and the Road Safety Authority, Fire Services and the Irish Coast Guard at specific Port events during the week.

You can follow events on the social media sites of the participating ports #irishportsafetyweek.