Cork County Council victory at NISO Awards 2020

Cork County Council achieved these awards in recognition of its Safety Management System; an integrated and holistic approach for ensuring the safety of Council employees and any third parties that it operates with in providing services. The system is based on international best practice and has achieved several significant accreditations.

The Council’s Safety Management System earned OHSAS (Occupational Health and Safety Management Assessment Series) 18001 certification in 2017 becoming the first Local Authority to do so. The accreditation lasted 3 years, during which time OHSAS 18001 was replaced with ISO 45001. Following its transition to the new Occupational Health and Safety requirements of the ISO standard, Cork County Council became a first-time achiever in its field once again, achieving ISO 45001 accreditation, while the organisation supported the County Cork community in its response to Covid 19.

Achieving yet another first for a local authority, Cork County Council was also accredited with the IBEC “Keep Well Mark” in November of 2020, due to dedicated efforts to promote health and wellbeing as part of the Safety Management System. The IBEC “Keep Well Mark” standard reflects success in the eight target areas of leadership, health and safety, absence management, physical activity, mental health, smoke free, intoxicants and healthy eating.

Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr. Mary Linehan Foley noted;

“During the past year Cork County Council has played a pivotal role in supporting the wider community through these challenging times. The Council’s Covid-19 Community Support Programme and Project ACT initiatives have provided vital social and economic support countywide. The organisation has achieved this while keeping staff safety and wellbeing at the forefront, supporting employees and ensuring continued support for the county. This is a great achievement for all involved.”

Chief Executive of Cork County Council, Tim Lucey welcomed the awards saying;

“Providing a safe and positive working environment is a proud achievement of the Council which serves to further our mission to serve the communities of Cork County. These accreditations and awards enable us to be competitive in attracting talent and innovation, and promotes engagement of all employees, contractors and partners in delivering for the residents and businesses of Cork County. The Council will continue its pursuit of excellence and innovation in delivering on our objectives in the years to come.”