Aoife Breslin

Safe Start: Ensuring Safety After the Holiday Break

Powercomm Group initiates new campaign, Safe Start: Ensuring Safety After the Holiday Break. After being away from work for the Christmas holidays, it might take some time to regain focus. It’s crucial that every individual is responsible for being alert and creating a safe work environment from the moment they step onto the job site. Safety is a shared responsibility, and starting the new year with a proactive mindset can make all the difference.

Refocusing on Safety

Returning to work after a break presents unique challenges. Many factors can contribute to a lapse in focus, including:

• Lower energy: The holiday season is often physically and emotionally draining, leaving workers feeling fatigued.
• Hectic or busier workloads: The rush to catch up after time off may create additional pressures, increasing the risk of oversight.

Recognizing these factors is the first step to mitigating risks. It’s important to approach the first few days back with heightened awareness and take deliberate actions to uphold safety standards.

Common Errors

Workplace mishaps are often caused by simple but avoidable errors. By maintaining the right mindset and attitude, these risks can be dramatically reduced. Four common errors to watch for include:

1. Complacency: After time off, it’s easy to fall into a false sense of security or routine, leading to shortcuts or negligence.
2. Rushing: Trying to make up for lost time can result in hasty decisions and overlooked hazards.
3. Frustrations: External stressors or lack of focus on the task at hand can significantly increase the chance of accidents.
4. Fatigue: Returning to physically demanding work without proper preparation can strain the body and mind.

Steps to Stay Safe

The first days back to work require extra care and vigilance. Here are a few actionable steps to ensure safety:

• Participate in site inductions: Take the time to thoroughly review safety protocols and site-specific hazards.
• Pace yourself: Gradually ease back into the workload to avoid overexertion or burnout.
• Look out for others: A supportive team culture can help everyone stay mindful and accountable.

A Safe Start Leads to a Strong Year

The start of a new year is an opportunity to recommit to safety excellence. By addressing potential risks and fostering a culture of awareness, we can ensure that every worker returns home safely at the end of each day. Let’s begin 2025 with a renewed focus on safety and success on every job site.

Powercomm Group is delighted to celebrate the success of Caragh GAA as they secured a historic win in the Men’s Leinster Intermediate Final. This victory marks a significant milestone for both Caragh GAA and the wider Kildare community, showcasing the team’s determination, skill, and unwavering team spirit.

As proud sponsors of Caragh GAA, Powercomm Group has always been committed to supporting local talent and fostering a sense of community. Our Managing Director, James Cafferty, who also serves as Chairman of Caragh GAA, expressed his immense pride in the team’s achievement:

“This victory is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and resilience of the players and coaching staff. As Chairperson of Caragh GAA and Managing Director of Powercomm Group, I am thrilled to see our community and team achieve such a momentous accomplishment. We look forward to welcoming more young talent to the club”

Adding to the celebration, Jake Corrigan, a dedicated Powercomm Group team member and the full forward for Caragh GAA, made a pivotal contribution to the victory. He also earned the Man of the Match title for his outstanding performance. Additionally, Fionann Manders, another valued member of the Powercomm team, was part of the Caragh GAA panel. We are incredibly proud of our colleagues for their contributions to this historic achievement.

At Powercomm Group, we believe in empowering and supporting the local community. The sponsorship of local clubs exemplifies our commitment to fostering local talent and celebrating collective achievements.

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Caragh GAA on their outstanding victory and look forward to supporting them as they continue their journey of excellence.

Powercomm is an engineering solutions company that is currently expanding its operations. Get in touch with our HR team to find out more about the jobs we have on offer.

• Launch took place in Aghada on Friday 15th of November with EU Commissioner-designate for Democracy, Justice and Rule of Law Michael McGrath
• The 150MW (300MWh) project is the second major fast-acting battery plant at ESB’s site in Co Cork
• ESB has partnered with Fluence as well as Irish company, Powercomm Group, to deliver this project

Friday, 15^th November 2024

Cork, Ireland

ESB has opened its latest major battery plant at its Aghada site in Co Cork which will add 150MW (300MWh) of fast-acting energy storage to help provide grid stability and deliver more renewable power onto Ireland’s electricity system.

This battery energy storage system (BESS) project is the latest in ESB’s pipeline of projects delivered at sites in Dublin and Cork which are part of its investment of up to €300m in the technology. In 2022, ESB launched the first of its BESS sites, the 19MW (38MWh) project – also in Aghada. Earlier in 2024 a new 75MW (150MWh) project was opened at ESB’s Poolbeg Energy Hub in Dublin.

ESB has partnered with Fluence – a global leader in energy storage products, services and software – as well as Irish company Powercomm Group to deliver this project.

EU Commissioner-designate for Democracy, Justice and Rule of Law, Michael McGrath, commented: “I am delighted to be here in Aghada again for the launch of ESB’s latest battery storage project. Through the delivery of projects like this, which will facilitate more renewable sources of energy onto the electricity system, it is clear that ESB’s relationship with Co Cork will continue into the future. This technology, delivered by ESB and their partners, can play an important role in achieving climate targets both in Ireland and at European level in the pursuit of net zero carbon emissions”.

Paddy Hayes, ESB Chief Executive, outlined how the project will support ESB’s Net Zero by 2040 carbon emissions target: “ESB’s Aghada site in Cork has been a key part of the progressive development of the Irish electricity system for over 40 years – and the launch of ESB’s largest battery storage project so far is another significant milestone. These batteries support energy security, reduce peak prices and help to maximise the benefit of renewables. This is the latest of ESB’s ’Invested in Ireland’ projects, with over €300 million recently invested in storage and security, supporting Ireland’s National Development and Climate Action plans.”

These high-capacity batteries can store excess renewable energy for discharge when required, and in doing so, help to support Ireland in reaching its ambitious climate targets by 2030 and ESB in achieving its Net Zero by 2040 strategy.

Source: https://esb.ie/media-centre-news/press-releases/article/2024/11/15/esb-officially-opens-its-latest-battery-storage-project-in-co-cork-as-part-of–300m-investment