Health and Safety

The wellbeing of our employees is guarded through the adherence to statutory health and safety standards and international maritime regulations. The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 2005, imposes certain requirements on employers and the Group has taken the necessary action to comply with the Act, including the adoption of a safety statement.

Irish Continental Group has developed management systems that instil a safety culture throughout all aspects of our operations, ashore and afloat. In our largest subsidiary, Irish Ferries, the Health and Safety Manager is responsible for ensuring that health and safety issues are identified, monitored and reviewed. He develops the company’s internal policy and procedures, sets targets to monitor performance and verifies the implementation of internal codes and procedures. Through a regular programme of quality and safety audits, continued compliance to these high standards is maintained.

We are committed to providing a high level of safety and quality training to all our staff, providing each of our employees with health and safety information, instruction and training, as appropriate, to enable them to work safely and to contribute towards a safer working environment.

In addition to our own internal verification procedures we are subject to inspection by the relevant Health and Safety Authorities. Irish Ferries operates to the International Safety Management Code (ISM), which is the international standard for the safe management and operation of ships and for pollution prevention. Irish Ferries has successfully held the internationally recognised award for quality (ISO 9000) since 1996. Since 2003 Irish Ferries is ISO 9000:2000 accredited.

Irish Continental Group is also in full compliance with the International Ship and Port Facility Security code (ISPS) which became law in 2004.