Photo/LCC: Jim Campbell, Executive Health & Safety Officer; Jerome Lambe, Head of Safety; Cllr Dolores Minogue, Cathaoirleach of Louth County Council; David Conway, Chief Executive of Louth County Council; Debbie McAreavey, Facilities & Safety Section; and Finbar Gethins, Senior Executive Officer, pictured with Louth County Council’s I.S. ISO 45001:2018 certification.
Louth County Council has achieved ISO 45001 certification, the internationally recognised standard for occupational health and safety management systems.
The certification was awarded by the National Standards Authority of Ireland following an assessment of the Council’s Occupational Health and Safety Management System.
It extends across a broad range of Council operations, including Roads, Housing, Libraries, Facilities Management, Environment, Planning and Regeneration, Corporate and HR, Community and Enterprise, IT and Finance.
The Council’s Fire Service already held ISO 45001 certification, with Council management reports confirming that its safety management system has been subject to ongoing review to maintain accreditation.
What ISO 45001 covers
ISO 45001 provides organisations with a framework for managing occupational health and safety risks.
Its aim is to help organisations identify hazards, reduce workplace risks, prevent work-related injury and ill health and continually improve safety performance.
Certification does not mark the end of the process.
Louth County Council will be required to undergo ongoing external audits and regular reviews to demonstrate continued compliance with the standard.
Cathaoirleach of Louth County Council Cllr Dolores Minogue said the certification reflected the importance of workplace safety in delivering public services.
“A safe and healthy workplace is fundamental to the delivery of effective public services, and this certification recognises the strong culture of safety that has been developed across Louth County Council,” she said.
Council staff recognised
Jerome Lambe, Head of Safety at Louth County Council, said achieving the standard had involved work across the organisation.
“Achieving ISO 45001 certification is a significant accomplishment for the organisation and reflects the ongoing commitment to improving our Safety Management System,” he said.
“It is the culmination of a considerable body of work across the Council and demonstrates the commitment of staff at all levels to embedding health and safety into our day-to-day operations and service delivery.”
Chief Executive David Conway said the certification provided independent assurance around the systems being used by the Council.
“Achieving certification to ISO 45001 is a significant milestone for the organisation and a strong reflection of the sustained commitment to maintaining and improving our Safety Management System,” he said.
“By supporting a safe and healthy working environment, we are also strengthening our capacity to deliver high-quality public services to the people of County Louth.”
Conway thanked Head of Safety Jerome Lambe, Safety Team members Jim Campbell and Debbie McAreavey, Finbar Gethins of Human Resources and Joanna Kelly, Acting Director of Services for HR, Corporate and Community Delivery, for their work towards achieving the certification.
Eugene Birch, Litter Warden; Jerome Lambe, Head of Safety; Finbar Gethins, Senior Executive Officer; Richard Sullivan, Craft Foreman; and Pat Casey, Foreman, pictured with Louth County Council’s I.S. ISO 45001:2018 certification.
Council also holds energy standard
Louth County Council also holds ISO 50001 certification for energy management.
Council reports show the authority is currently in its third three-year cycle of ISO 50001 registration, with the present cycle running to February 2027.
Following the latest workplace safety certification, Louth County Council says it is now listed through the NSAI Certified Company Search and is entitled to use the NSAI ISO 45001 Certification Mark and IQNET Certified Management System mark.
NSAI’s certified company search provides a public database of current certifications issued by the standards authority
