Sligo Institute of Technology Wins HSA Third Level ‘Safety in Design’ National Competition
Friday 26th March 2010
A team of students from Sligo Institute of Technology today(Friday 26th March 2010) won the Health and Safety Authority’s first national competition, aimed at undergraduate teams from construction-related degree programmes in third level institutions. At the final held in Dublin’s Ashling Hotel on Thursday 25th March, six short-listed teams battled it out to win the first prize of €3,000. Galway Institute of Technology won the runners-up prize of €1,000 and all finalists received certificates of commendation. Other teams which made the final include University of Limerick and Carlow Institute of Technology.
The aim of the competition was to provide an environment where undergraduate students can collaborate and work together to enhance, develop and embed their knowledge and understanding of health and safety in construction. Students from different disciplines worked together to take on the role of a team commissioned to design and build a student services building on the fictional ‘JP O’Leary Business College’ campus. Various challenges had to be addressed including examining the impact of design on after-care maintenance, site-specific risk assessments and preparing traffic management plans.
Chief Executive of the Health and Safety Authority, Martin O’Halloran said, “We were delighted to see such a strong interest in the competition from undergraduates across different construction-related disciplines. Our aim with this competition is to prepare future construction professionals, by giving them an opportunity to work together to find solutions to the kind of challenges that they will come across every day in the workplace.”
Chairman of the Authority’s Third Level Initiative Group1, Mr. Lloyd Scott said, “Encouraging teams from different disciplines in construction-related third level programmes to collaborate on active learning projects like this, reaps real benefits for the students. It helps them to learn about health and safety and risk management in a very hands-on way where they can apply theoretical knowledge and principles.”
Teams were provided with an information pack consisting of the design for the project, site history, site description and outline building specification. Mechanical and electrical services were outlined with suggested options for locating plant.
The judging panel was made up of the following members: Paraig Earley (Construction Policy Inspector, HSA), Nevan Mulrooney (Society of Chartered Surveyors), Mike Keyes (Third Level Initiative Group, HSA) and Tony Sheridan (Health and Safety Manager, John Sisk and Son Ltd).
1 The Third Level Initiative Group (construction) operates under the auspices of the Construction Advisory Committee of the Health and Safety Authority.
