That’s a Wrap! Irish Port Safety Week Highlights 2024
29 October 2024
Looking back on Irish Port Safety Week 2024
A sincere thank you goes out to all members of the Irish Port Safety Forum, the Health and Safety Authority of Ireland, the Health and Safety Executive of Northern Ireland, as well as Dublin Fire Brigade, RNLI, An Garda Síochána, the Dublin Port community, port customers, and local communities for their invaluable support in making Irish Port Safety Week 2024 a success. Their collaboration and dedication were instrumental in bringing this event to life and promoting a culture of safety at Ireland’s largest port.
Irish Port Safety Week 2024 concluded with a successful range of events and activities aimed at enhancing health, safety, and wellbeing for port workers and the local community. Hosted by Dublin Port Company in collaboration with other Irish ports, this year’s program featured interactive and educational sessions that attracted broad participation.
Highlights included personal safety with “Krav Maga Ireland” and CPR training sessions, where participants learned essential skills for responding to emergencies. Simulator training provided valuable, hands-on experience in operating heavy machinery under adverse conditions, while cyber security workshops educated port workers on safeguarding digital operations within the port.
Local schools joined in with over 200 students taking part in RNLI water safety awareness and a safety-themed colouring competition, fostering early awareness of port and water safety. Dublin’s yacht clubs, including Poolbeg Yacht Club, engaged in our Safe Navigation in the Bay talk with guest speakers from the Irish Nautical Trust, Vessel Traffic Services and the Dun Laoghaire Harbour Master all giving valuable insight as to how leisure craft can safely navigate close to the busy shipping channels.
The Dublin Fire Brigade conducted emergency response exercises during the week, simulating an in-port rescue from water drill while Killian O’Kelly from the RNLI conducted a series of talks and workshops with groups ranging from Primary School Children all the way up to our very own Safeport Executive and Working Group members. These collaborative drills and exercises underscored the importance of emergency preparedness, concluding with a large-scale drill showcasing coordinated response efforts.
Assistant Harbour Master, Paul Hogan commented “Irish Port Safety Week 2024 demonstrated the power of community and collaboration in maintaining a safe, welcoming environment at Dublin Port, reinforcing the port’s commitment to continuous safety improvement. We are already looking forward to next year’s safety week!”