This article is from page 18 of the 2006-05-16 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 18 JPG
INTRODUCING safety and health education into schools could make the single biggest difference to keeping the next generation safe at work.
That’s according to Minister for Labour Affairs, Tony Killeen, who yesterday presented three Clare schools with awards for their work on the subject.
And the Health and Safety Authority has commissioned the National Council for Curriculum Assessment to look at ways of introducing risk education into the classroom right through from primary school to postprimary.
The project involved teaching students key safety concepts, risk assessment, work experience and preparation for the world of work, manual handling and ergonomics and understanding chemical safety.
Minister Killeen presented certificates to post-Junior Cert students and teachers in 15 post-primary schools, across counties Clare, Galway, Mayo and Roscommon for their participation in the training and roll-out of a safety and health module.
The three Clare schools taking part are Ennis Community College, Scoil Mhuire, Ennistymon and St.Josephs Secondary School, Tulla.
The minister said that there are more than 300,000 workers aged 15 to 24 in the Irish workforce, according to CSO figures and European research shows that young workers, between 18 and 24 are 50% more likely to have an accident at work than their older counterparts.
“We need to bring the safety message into every level of education so that it’s the first thing we think of no matter what activity we are about to undertake.
“Whether it’s driving a car, serving food in a restaurant or operating a machine – the principles are the same.
“If we have the skills to identify hazards, assess the risk and do something about it, then we’re significantly reducing our chances of having an accident,” Minister Kileen said.
Minister Killeen paid special tribute to all the students who took part in the pilot project, adding that he hoped it would be the first step to the introduction of safety education into classrooms across the country.
Chairman of the Authority, Jim Lyons said, the initiative “is about taking the workplace safety message to the younger generation so that we can begin to foster that all-important safety first-mindset.
“With up to 70% of post-primary students in part-time jobs, the need to equip young people with the right skills to keep themselves and their co-workers safe is more important than ever.”