Safety, Health and Wellbeing Calendar 2024
Quarter 3 (July – Sept) – Look Up, Down and Around

July 2024

Fairness, Inclusion & Respect

To coincide with the theme, Dearbhla of SheConstructs recorded a 2-minute video entitled ‘Fairness, Inclusion & Respect’ and Jacinta M. Kitt has facilitated a 27-minute recorded webinar on The Importance of a Positive Work Environment for Effectiveness and Wellbeing.

Wednesday 5th July marks National Diversity and Inclusion Day and offers employers an opportunity to celebrate the ways we all can create a more inclusive world. These include both the small actions that make a difference and the big efforts business make to embrace diversity and inclusion every day. Promoting a culture of fairness, inclusion and respect brings many business benefits to the companies that work to achieve it.  As a sector, we need to embrace FIR in order to attract, recruit, train and retain the skills in order to address the industry-wide skills shortage. Clients and large contractors are increasingly expecting their supply chain partners to work with them to achieve this.

Every July, the sarcoma community comes together to acknowledge Sarcoma Awareness Month and pay tribute to those affected by sarcoma, and to advocate for the needs of those living with sarcoma. For more information contact The Irish Cancer Society who will provide guidance and support.

August 2024

Mobile Plant and Machinery

According to the HSA, the greatest risk to pedestrians is from vehicles and mobile plant. There are substantial blind spots on dozers, wheeled loading shovels and excavators, with workers at risk of being run over if they are in the operator’s blind spot. Carry out a documented risk assessment of workplace transport hazards. The risk may be further reduced by using high visibility clothing to signal their presence, as per HSA Guidance on High visibility clothing for use around moving vehicles.

The International Overdose and Awareness Day will take place this year on the 31st August. This is an annual event which aims to end overdose, remember without stigma those who have died and acknowledge the grief of family and friends left behind. The theme for 2024 is “Together we can”, highlighting the power of our community when we all stand together.

Use the hashtags #TogetherWeCan #IOAD2024 #EndOverdose, to help promote this day through social media platforms. More information can be found in the useful links section below.

September 2024

Excavations and Temporary Works

This month, the focus is on hazards associated with excavations and temporary works, including the dangers of working near underground or overhead services. Trenching and excavation are dangerous tasks because they pose the risk of cave-ins. Workers involved in trenching and excavation also risk falls from height, falling loads, hazardous atmospheres and working close to plant. For these reasons, extra precautions must be taken to only work in protected trenches.

Every year, organisations and communities around the world come together to raise awareness of how we can create a world where fewer people die by suicide. this year World Suicide Prevention Day will be on the 10^th September 2024. More information can be found at the following link and in the useful links  section below:

https://www.samaritans.org/ireland/support-us/campaign/world-suicide-prevention-day/#:~:text=When%20is%20it%3F,is%20always%20on%2010%20September.

World Heart Day 2024 will be held on 29th September. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the world’s number one killer. Combined, conditions affecting the heart or blood vessels – such as heart attack, stroke and heart failure – kill more than 20.5 million every year. The majority of these deaths happen in low- and middle-income countries. By making small changes to our lifestyle – what we eat and drink, how much we exercise, and how we manage stress – we can better manage our heart health and beat CVD. More information can be found in the uselful links section below.