Ó Fiaich College, Dundalk student Joshua Vallely wins in the second level construction category, with Dublin Institute of Technology students, Elliot Halpenny, Donal Healy, Daniel English and Cáit Boyce Willis winning the third level construction category. ESB Networks welcomes entries for the second year of the National Safety Challenge. Get your entries in by 16 of November!

The National Safety Challenge has construction and agriculture categories. The ESB Networks National Safety Challenge, running in conjunction with Irish building magazine for the construction category, is an initiative which aims to raise awareness of the importance of working safely and responsibly.

In the construction category, Joshua Vallely of Ó Fiaich College, Dundalk was awarded National Winner at second level for his innovation, Safety Information Management. His project, an app for Safety Information Management which would provide construction workers with the safety information specific to the device that they were about to use.

Dublin Institute of Technology students Elliot Halpenny, Donal Healy, Daniel English, and Cáit Boyce  Willis were awarded National Winners at third level for their product Reach LTD’s R-TEKT 110. Their project, a 110v smart plug that helps lower injuries and fatalities by only allowing workers with access to the piece of equipment the ability to power and use the equipment.

Each of the national winners were presented with prizes to the value of €1,000.

Commenting on the announcement of the ESB Networks National Safety Challenge winners, Paul Mulvaney, Executive Director, Networks Customer Delivery, ESB Networks, says: “Established this year, the ESB Networks National Safety Challenge invites students to think critically and analytically, to push the boundaries for a safer working environment for the future of the agricultural and construction sectors. Each of the finalists should be really proud of the commitment to farming and construction safety. I was hugely impressed by their innovative approaches to the competition and the wider practical applications, both on the farm and on construction sites.”

 2^nd Year of the National Safety Challenge Launched

ESB Networks are proud to announce the launch of the second year of the National Safety Challenge.  ESB Networks are again encouraging secondary students studying agriculture and construction/engineering to develop their own innovative safety idea for farming or construction activity and to demonstrate how they would implement this.

ESB Networks is committed to educating and raising awareness among the public on safety. In particular, ESB Networks works to promote behaviour that ensures a safe electricity network, communicating the dangers of coming into close contact with the electricity network and equipment.

ESB Networks believes that engaging these students in the safety message will reduce their risk of being in an accident involving the electricity network in their construction activities and future careers.

Who can enter the ESB Networks National Safety Challenge?

The National Safety Challenge is open to all students at second level, but is being targeted at students in the following categories:

1. Construction students at second level
2. Agriculture students at second level

The Challenge:

Have you got an idea on how to make the construction industry safer? or Have you got an idea on how to make the agricultural industry safer? 

Entries and ideas will be accepted in any format: written (up to 300 words), visual (e.g. photography, poster, design, sketch) or digital (e.g. audio, video) and students/groups are invited to submit any concepts, initiatives, plans or ideas they feel will push the boundaries of innovation and pave the way for a safer working environment across the industry. Students should consider their target audience and the feasibility of their entry. 

Entry Details:

• Entries can be sent by post or email to: Postal Address: ESB Networks Safety, C/O Real Nation, 24-25 Arran Quay, Dublin 7, D07 W620. Email: ESBNetworksSafety@realnation.ie

• All entries must be received by Friday, 16 of November, 2018

Prizes:

• 2 National Finalists in two categories will receive a €200 in voucher each.
• 1 overall National Winner in each category will receive a €1,000 in vouchers (an additional €800 in vouchers plus the €200 voucher, bringing the total prize fund to a total of €1,000 in vouchers).
• The teacher of the National Winner in both 2nd level categories will receive a prize of a €200 voucher.
• Winners will be featured in Irish building magazine and the Irish Famers Journal, subject to editorial limitations.

Teaching Resources Available

To help incorporate safety into their lessons, ESB Networks have produced resources for teachers which correlate with and support the current Agricultural Studies and Construction Studies curriculum:

These resources are available at: www.esbnetworks.ie/education

Contact information:  Phone: 01 522 4881   Email: esbnetworkssafety@realnation.ie   Web: www.esbnetworks.ie/education