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7
NEWS
December 2012/January 2013 www.esb.ie/em
TRAINEESHIP PROGRAM FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
Generation & Wholesale Markets Executive Director Paddy Hayes welcomed three new trainees on Monday November 19th as part of the Traineeship Programme for People with Disabilities. The new trainees will be based in Head Office, in Trading and Fisheries and PAR. This now brings the number of trainees for the year to eleven.
Safety Champions League
CREATING ENTHUSIASM for safety in an office environment can be a struggle. Mindful of this the Corporate Centre Safety Committee developed a short programme of team safety auditing which has generated a bit of competitiveness in an otherwise mild-mannered environment.
The Safety Champions League is based on the following principles:
• Divide the business into individual teams.
• Define and communicate the required safety standard.
• Develop a schedule of audits so that each team is both audited and also audits regularly against the standard.
• Publish the results of the audits in a league table each week.
• Reward the winning team.
This particular programme focused on office safety. A list of 15 questions was developed which covered housekeeping, fire safety and emergency response. For each question the desired state was provided. Each team started an audit with 100 marks. For every non-conformance 5 marks were deducted. A team could also lose all their marks if they did not carry out an audit themselves. Bonus marks were given to teams where all members participated in audits.
Debates took place as to whether it was practical to have only one document on the desk at a time and why it is necessary to put the handbag or backpack in a drawer or cupboard and not on the ground under the desk.
The programme was launched by the Corporate Centre Safety Committee during Safety Week and ended four weeks later on Friday 16th November.
Apart from the desire to win or at least not to be at the bottom of the league table this programme aims to change behaviours by setting out the required standard, regularly reminding people of the standard (through audits), and securing participation from the less willing through peer encouragement. This creates safety habit strength.
For more information on office safety standards please contact Niall O’Hanlon.
ESB Disability Access Group
The new ESB Disability Access Group met for the first time on Thursday October 18th in Head Office. The Access Group is made up of members of staff who are disabled and whose aim is to look at all aspects of access within ESB. The group will meet every quarter to discuss access to buildings, services and any other access issues brought to its attention. About 5% of all staff in ESB have some form of disability. Discussed at the first meeting were topics such as: The revamping of the disability website, Traineeship Programme for People with disabilities. Ideas to raise awareness of disability issues within ESB
ESB Access Officer Niall O’Hanlon is leading the group and would like to hear from anyone with an access issue that the group might be able to help resolve.
Changes to EM
Calling all VS and Retired Staff Have you signed up for your digital version of EM?
As outlined in our last two issues of EM, due to cost reduction measures we are unfortunately unable to post out printed copies of EM going forward from 2013 onwards.
However, we would still like to have EM available to our VS and Retired Staff.
If you are not a pc user, maybe a family member or friend would like us to forward the digital edition and they could print it off for you. Whether it’s your own email address or someone else, please let us know and we would be delighted to add you to our emailing list.
VS and Retired Staff will continue to receive a printed copy of the Christmas issue of EM.
We do hope you sign up with us for your netbook copy and continue to enjoy the publication.
If you haven’t done so already please send your email details to: bernie.healy@esb.ie
Record number of staff in Dublin Marathon
A RECORD number of ESB staff took part in the 2012 Dublin City Marathon on the October Bank Holiday Monday. Many of those participating used the opportunity to raise funds for various charities, so well done to everyone involved. Some of the participants shared their thoughts with us as follows:
Frank Duignan, Telecoms Operations Services
“I finished in 3:57, struggled home over the last few miles! Great support all the way round, will definitely be running it again.”
Helen Hennessy, Campaign Data Analyst, Electric Ireland
“It’s definitely easier second time around, though the nerves are double! No serious pain at 18 miles and ‘Heartbreak Hill’ didn’t finish me off. Time: 3.56.”
Claire Ryan, Finance Operations, ESB Energy International
“I was having a dark moment on the run, then I turned the corner and a friend was there with her two kids and a banner with my name on it and it gave me just the lift I needed at that stage to keep on going.”
Susan Whyte, Smart Metering Program & PAYG Manager, Electric Ireland
“My highlights included running through the park, the banter in the group I ran with, seeing some of my family on ‘Heartbreak Hill’ and crossing the finish line in 4.06 and getting my medal.”
Dermot Mangan Enterprise Operations, BSC
“A small bit of doubt started creeping in around the 20 mile mark but I managed to push through and hit my goal.”
John Foody, Telecomms Services
“In the last few hundred meters one of the 3:30 pacers began shouting that if I got through the next kilometre to the finish, my place in history would be assured. It was a war of sorts, one fought between me, myself and the streets of Dublin.”
Cathal Hickey, HV Operations Manager, SDCC
“An enormous feeling of relief mixed with euphoria at getting to finish the marathon, 14 years after having completed my last and first Dublin Marathon.”
Kresimir Jez Commissioning, ESBI
“Support from the crowd was again excellent, the drummers at Spar stores in particular. Considering my training before it, I got great time this year. I hope I will do it again in the future.”
Fergus Keane, Environmental Services, Energy International
“I forced myself to be guided by my heart rate monitor, to run as aerobically as possible, to start slow, and spend the whole race gradually increasing speed.
Knowing my family were at the top of ‘Heartbreak Hil’l in Mount Merrion got me to 21 miles, where Ray Darcy was also providing great encouragement.”
Head Office Restaurant serving real change
BSC & Electric Ireland
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