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NEWS
February/March 2014 • www.esb.ie/em
Over 400 ESB staff complete the UCD Certificate in Safety and Health at Work
On December 9th last 22 ESB students were presented with their UCD Certificates in Safety and Health at Work. UCD has been providing this course since 1994.
THIS FOUNDATION in Occupational Safety and Health has provided many ESB staff and managers from different disciplines in the organisation with a sound appreciation of health and safety principles and best management practices that they have transferred successfully to their work environments.
Since 1996, when ESB intensive course first commenced a total of 401 ESB staff have successfully participated in it.
Pat Naughton, Executive Director Group People and Sustainability who has functional responsibility for safety in ESB, thanked the staff for their participation in the course. He congratulated them on their achievements recognising the challenge it was to study and work together with having a life. Pat also praised those who were participating in the Higher Diploma in Safety and Health at Work. He highlighted that Lost Time Injuries had diminished but risk was still significant based on reported Near Miss incidents and recent tragic fatalities. Emphasising that safety remained a core value in ESB and the relentless pursuit of zero harm he pointed out that Safety Leadership would be changing in ESB with an emphasis on Leadership, Compliance, Competence and Engagement.
Pat thanked Dr Anne Drummond, Director of the Centre for Safety and Health at Work and David O'Dwyer, Manager of the Centre for Safety and Health at Work at UCD for ensuring the continued availability of this Certificate Course to us in ESB and for their attendance at the presentation ceremony. He also thanked Anna Noble who very smoothly administered the course on behalf of UCD. He announced that ESB was continuing to participate in the Certificate in the 2013/2014 programme.
Dr Anne Drummond thanked the ESB students who were the pioneers of the new blended learning approach to the Certificate course. Thanks to their constructive feedback while participating in the course the format has been tweaked and is now the means of delivering the certificate to all students. The course is now delivered remotely with only four days attendance in UCD required. It provides a more flexible approach to learning whereby students who can choose the most suitable time to participate. Praising ESB's commitment to safety Anne noted that many companies are struggling to get safety as an agenda item never mind a priority or core value.
Students who have successfully completed the ESB intensive UCD Certificate course in 2013 are Gary Boyle, Cheryl Carmody, Michael Coomey, Edward Dempsey, Dianne Dowling, John Finnegan, Dominick Fitzsimons, Stewart Flood, Thomas Gaughan, Catherine Halpin, Mark Halpin, Patrick Hamill, Wesley Hughes, Geffrey Kane, Emlyn Lang, Cathal Maguire, Emer Murphy, Paul Neary, Billy Nutley, Niall O'Hanlon, Shabnam Zaidi, and Michael Walsh.
Blessington Greenway Launched
BLESSINGTON GREENWAY was launched on Saturday February 1st, 2014 by Leo Varadkar TD, Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport.
This new development covers 6.5km of walking and cycling trails through the forest and woodlands taking in some spectacular scenery adjacent to the shoreline of Blessington Reservoir - more commonly referred to as Blessington Lakes. It joins the historic town of Blessington to the Palladian mansion of Russborough House. It is planned that further phases will now be developed and will continue around the lakes for another 50kms looping back to Blessington.
Minister Leo Varadkar said that walking and cycling tourism represents an area with massive growth potential. “This is just the first phase of a great project to run a new greenway right around Blessington Lakes. It's a good example of how community spirit can make things happen. County Wicklow Partnership funding was instrumental in helping to complete this first 6km phase and the NTA is funding a footpath linking the two existing sections of the walking route, but full credit must go to the Blessington Forum for the initiative and to ESB for making the land available”.
A recent study carried out by Trinity College, Dublin found that cycle ways such as this could boost tourist numbers and have a real economic benefit. The Greenway Project Manager, John Horan, said that the Blessington Greenway development represents great value for money and will provide a much needed flagship tourism project in the heart of the Kildare/Wicklow Tourism Region. “A community based body has demonstrated that the job can be done. The completion of the further phases of this exciting new tourism project now requires the direct involvement of Failte Ireland together with the provision of the necessary funding from appropriate national level sources”, he said.
Speaking at the event, Paddy Hayes, Executive Director, ESB Generation and Wholesale Markets, ESB said: “ESB is committed to working with the broader community, particularly in areas where the organisation is directly involved such as the Blessington Lakes hinterland. We are committed to being a successful, responsible and progressive company contributing to the economic and social life of Ireland and our involvement in the Blessington Greenway project is a clear demonstration of this commitment”.
The Greenway project was first envisaged in the Wicklow County Development Plan and has been implemented under the auspices of Blessington and District Forum. John Horan has managed the project on behalf of the Forum and he says that “a wide range of stakeholders including Co Wicklow Partnership, ESB, Wicklow County Council, Failte Ireland and Wicklow Tourism have been supportive of this development”.
Detailed Cultural, Heritage and Ecological Impact Assessments were carried out to ensure that the development would have no potentially negative impacts on what is a “sensitive” area from a number of viewpoints.
ESB owns the land surrounding the lakes and had specific requirements for the development of the Greenway. The routing of the trail had to take into account water levels and planned tree felling. The services of ESB's engineering, property and other sections were made available to assist with these matters.
For further information contact John Horan, at blessingtnngreenway@gmail.com or on 086 8075619.
St. Patrick's Union says goodbye as Chris Hussey retires
THE MANAGEMENT and staff of St. Patrick's Credit Union have paid tribute to Chris Hussey who retired from the Credit Union on January 17th last. For over 30 years Chris has served the staff of ESB in the most caring, professional and helpful manner and his name will always be associated with St. Patrick's and the service it provides.
Chris epitomised all that the Credit Union stands for and was always a voice at the end of a phone who freely offered advice and support to all who called. His cheerful manner and willingness to help others removed the stress from many people who often called on him in times of personal stress and grief. Every member who spoke to Chris received the same level of professionalism and confidentiality.
As a work colleague he was a support and friend and to all the voluntary committee members, directors, management and agents throughout the country. After over 30 years of dedicated service to both the Credit Union movement and the staff of ESB, Chris sends his gratitude and good wishes to all those, many of whom would categorise themselves as friends.
We, with our colleagues throughout the ESB family, both current and retired, send our good wishes to Chris and his family for continued good health and happiness for the future and thank him for all his tremendous contribution over three decades.
